Illusory Tandem
by Tanuki-dono
Summary: The revival of the Wish. [Subaru, Seishirou, Hokuto, Sakurazukamori]
1. Prologue The Wish

Drip. Drip. Rain falling on sakura petals…

"Stop."

Nothing but a low mewl at first.

"Stop!"

The breathing quickens – becoming rapid and frantic.

"STOP IT!"

A long, high-pitched wail.

_Rip my heart out and step on it. _

If only I could duck under the sky, go to that horizon where earth meets blue.

(I can't find you here anymore.)

**Illusory Tandem**

_Japan  
Outskirts of Tokyo  
1999_

A young man steps out of the drizzling rain into a large, one-story mansion. There is no need to turn on the lights, as midnight hunts have accustomed his pupils to darkness. He walks to the counter; drags a hand across smooth marble. Lightning floods the room for a brief second, illuminating the haunting features of a frozen, discarded beauty. His hair has become rather long and unkempt since the death of his soul. Not many would recognize him or find him remotely comparable to the individual he had once been; rather, they might mistake him for another entity altogether. The view of his right side profile showcases an eerie link to his former love. At times, his resemblance to the previous Sakurazukamori is uncanny.

He wipes a glove-clad hand across the cold surface of the counter, leaving a dark red smudge in its wake. He stares coldly at it for the briefest of moments, before turning to walk down the dark hallway. He walks past a room and pauses, eyes narrowing as he sees the bars of a chamber that resembles a prison cell. He would like to lock himself in for eternity, he thinks.

He continues to walk toward the back of the house, where the door opens up to the magnificent garden. He passes mirrors; all are smashed, of course. Some of the damage is his doing; some isn't. He hates himself all the same. He cannot gaze at his reflection without seeing the dying faces of the two he loved the most.

Lighting illuminates the sky…the delayed voice of thunder follows. He slides the door open quietly, and his touch seems nonexistent — the deft touch that only assassins are capable of. The violent wind swirls his black hair and kisses his pale skin with an unfriendly frostiness. The chill air whispers its faint presence in the darkness. Subaru stares at the garden, his breath curling in long tendrils as it escapes his mouth. Winter has arrived.

_But all the plants are still thriving. Blooming like phantoms,_ he sighs internally. _We're alike. Out of time._

A strong gust of wind rips through the vicinity, snatching petals and leaves from various bushes and trees. The leaves and petals slice through the air, whipping against the face of the young man hovering at the door entrance. He doesn't move — just watches silently as the remaining leaves die with the wind, the pieces slowly coming to rest around his feet. He idly considers sweeping the floor, since some of the leaves have settled inside the house. The house must be kept nice. After all, it had belonged to _him_ when _he_ was alive.

_CLUNK._

Something heavy hits hardwood floor, and he jumps. He turns away from the ghostly, beautiful garden and peers into the darkness shrouding the inner sanctions of the mansion. What is this disturbance? From the direction of the living quarters comes a muted, nearly imperceptible melody. As he stealthily takes a step into the house, forgotten leaves crunch noisily underneath his feet. He twitches, his face a white almost-wince, at the sound. He walks as if in a trance, measured steps leading him back to the barred, prison-like room.

The music is growing louder as he nears, but it is also growing slower and slower — its notes sounding now in an off-key minor. With wild fingers, he unbolts the door and slides it open. He has never entered this room before today; its unapproachable presence has always kept him at bay. Dimly, he notes that the music has stopped. He flips the light-switch up only to find that it no longer works. It has probably long since lost its light. Groping his way through the darkness, he finds an old-fashioned lantern and lights it. The paper of the lantern is dyed a muted pinkish red, giving the room an eerie red-glow. The pink and red stains are uneven, and he wonders if perhaps the reason for this is tied to other meddling bloodstained hands, much like his own.

The room is in disarray. In the corner, there is a small futon with messy covers, making it seem as if a sleeper has recently slept here. There's a kimono splayed across the floor. Kneeling, he pulls the unsoiled white fabric into his arms. Dipping his face to rub against the silky fabric, a powerful scent assaults his senses. The redolence is a whirl of nostalgia, and painful memories spiral one by one through his grey mind. He buries himself closer, nuzzling the fabric with his lips. The very picture of a broken man.

On closer inspection, it's a summer male-style kimono. He spreads the clothing out in front of him before desperately clawing at his own black garments. After what seems like hours, he finally breaks free and discards the black. Eagerly, he wraps the white fabric around his small frame, heedless of the fact that the robe is several sizes too large for him. He wants to be surrounded with the lingering smell of the one he loved and loves even now. As he shrugs his arm into a sleeve, something falls out of the pocket into his lap.

_A music box._

It's small and oval shaped — ornate and dainty. It seems to him like a trinket imported from a far-off country such as India; something unbelievably expensive. With trembling fingers, he winds it. Childlike, his eyes widen as a sweet melody echoes around the room. An empty sigh escapes his lips as he remembers times gone by. The music is the same he heard from the rear-entrance. He sets the box gently on the floor in front of him, and gazes at the shine of the gold trim as the pink light hits it. Strange. Who wound it in order for it to begin playing? Glancing around curiously, he spies a small box resembling a child's hope chest. He crawls slowly towards it, feeling a small form of apprehension as he grows near.

Lifting the lid, he first sees a piece of violet, embroidered fabric lying across the top. Lifting it, he fingers the raised threads, tracing the sign of an inverted pentagram. _Lovely_, he breathes. _So very lovely_. Weaving his hands deeper into the box, he extracts a small treasure — a piece of jewelry. The metal is pure gold, wrought in the shape of a flowering camellia. Lightly, he fingers the fine inscription on the back.

"Setsuka," he whispers quietly, reading the words to himself. "Who are you?"

Next, he pulls a small box from the chest. This one smells wonderfully of exotic, fragranced wood. He smoothes his fingers over the grain and lifts the lid. To his surprise, it contains the remains of some old photographs. The first one looks half-burned. Pictured is a small, disheveled girl leaning against an older man, who wears an enigmatic smile. He cannot see the eyes or the hair of the man — they are part of what has been burned. His brow furrows and he shifts to the next picture. The little girl is in this picture as well, but now she is dressed lavishly in expensive fabrics, her hair done up with ornate pins. Her lips are blood red and her skin is pale. She is smiling, doe-eyes shining up at the man, who has his arm around her slight shoulders. In this picture, his entire face has been cut out, leaving only his well-dressed body from the broad shoulders down. Unnerved, Subaru shifts to the next picture. This one was taken in front of a traditional home. The girl is older here, but not by much. She has grown exceptionally beautiful, a flower in bloom. The man next to her holds an umbrella over the both of them. He wears a tan coat over a maroon dress shirt and black slacks. Finally, Subaru can see his face. His smile is quirky — darkly suggestive.

It is a familiar smile.

He stumbles over his breath for a second as he stares at the sharp angles of the man's face. The feathery-wild hair, just slightly shadowed by the umbrella's shade, seems to tug at his insides. He blinks. But the eyes are deep, unnerving black — unlike the honeyed brown tone he was once been accustomed to. Besides, the man in this picture is more ruggedly handsome than he is elegant.

On impulse, he delicately flips the photograph over. His lips part in fascinated surprise when he finds a scribbled note in the bottom corner. Part of it is impossible to make out, blurred by some sort of water — perhaps rain or tears.

_'…and me in Kanazawa, where we first met. April, 1964. –Setsuka-chan'_

The next picture he views is stranger than the rest. This photograph has bloodied fingerprints, saturation of colour tapering off around the edges. He places his fingers, which are reddish brown with dried blood, over the prints. This picture depicts the same girl; perhaps her name was Setsuka. Her eyes are brilliant honey-gold and she wears an impish smile. In her arms is a tiny figure swathed in violet fabric. The baby has a little tuft of hair peeking out from beneath the blankets. His eyes are closed in peace, and his lips are rosy, half-open in sleepy breathing.

Desperately, Subaru flips the photograph over.

_'Seishirou.'_

That is all it says. A little gasp escapes Subaru's lips. _Seishiro_. Images of the older man flash behind his eyes and a thousand sentences run backward in a smooth, loving voice. Overcome with emotion, he doubles over, frantically gripping the hope chest frantically for support. His teeth clamp down on his lower lip, until skin is torn and blood trickles down his chin. Weak and trembling, he manages to straighten up again. His hands quake incurably as he brings the paper closer to his face.

"Seishirou…san…"

He presses his lips gently against the paper, and for the first time in what feels like years, he smiles. It is a gentle, genuine smile — like bright sunlight breaking through black storm clouds.

"Adorable," he murmurs, staring at the photograph and tracing the infant's features with red fingertips. "Beautiful…"

The smile disappears as quickly as it has surfaced. His eyes are vessels carrying sadness. Tears threaten to spill from them, and darkness clouds his vision. He drops the photograph, and all the memories pool together in an overwhelming tidal wave. He would be crying if he had any tears left to shed.

"I…"

_I…_

Gulping back a cry, he throws a hand into the chest and clenches it around the first thing he comes into contact with. He withdraws a small neatly folded note. The paper, dated 1966, is already yellowing from age. He unfolds it and avidly scans the shakily-written characters.

_'I killed him today.'_

The rest is blurred, but the letter-writer has the same penmanship as "Setsuka-chan" in the notes he glimpsed a short while ago. He dimly makes out a few more words through the smudged ink. There are splotches of red-turned-brown blood dotting the paper.

_'…I am the sakura…camellia…he loved me…I…become him now…' _

I have become him now.

Subaru blows out a frustrated and despairing breath. Passionately, he crumples the paper and throws it across the room. Glowering, he turns his focus down to the discarded photograph at his feet — the one with baby Seishirou in Setsuka's arms. His heart tightens. It tightens so violently it feels like taut cords on the verge of snapping. The indistinct words of the note echo within his mind, bringing back the horrible reality of a fight on a bridge in a city called Tokyo.

"I killed him…" Subaru croaks, shuddering

_I killed him._

To his surprise, fresh tears slowly begin to leak from his eyes. The liquid seems foreign to his face. Hot and unbearable. It's been so long since he has cried. The filtered red light of the room makes it seem as though he's crying blood. Fitting for the Sakurazukamori. Blood.

Not bothering to wipe the hot tears from his cheeks, he leans over the edge of the chest to find that there is one more object to retrieve. Lifting the ornament, he finds that it is a solid gold necklace, similar in design to the camellia-shaped one that once belonged to Setsuka. He doesn't have to look at the inscription on the back of the intricately crafted cross to know the characters that are engraved there. He knows the name as soon as he brushes his fingers over the memorized lines.

"Seishirou."

Automatically, he unclasps the hook and loops the ornament around his own neck. It falls against the cherry-design kimono with a graceful slap.

"I wish…"

_I wish…_

He counts the time as the song of the music box at last begins to slow to an off-tune melody.

_I wish…_

The music stops.

_I wish I could save you._

A chill wind sweeps through a one-story mansion on the outskirts of Tokyo. The whirring of a clock chimes a haunting note as midnight arrives. Somewhere, an ancient tree cries out in panic.

Sakurazuka Subaru is gone.

END PROLOGUE.

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Disclaimer: CLAMP owns.

Beta Reader(s): Fin Mefiant, Silvermuse89


	2. I Normalcy

What is normal and what is unusual is easily melded together in a mixture of confusion.

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**Illusory Tandem**

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_Tokyo, Japan  
Shinjuku District  
1990_

The street was busy and bustling with excitement, people rushing hurriedly down the sidewalks. A few pickpocketing children weaved in and out of the businessmen. Schoolgirls chattered amongst themselves and well-to-do men tensely watched their beepers. Tokyo was a city where all sorts of people walked side by side.

The day was glorious in Subaru's eyes. The sky was cloudless and shone such a vibrant blue that many of Tokyo's inhabitants, even pessimistic ones, paused to simply gaze at it.

_Whump._

"Eep!"

"Good grief, Subaru!" Hokuto exclaimed, shaking her head as her younger twin brother helplessly tried to wiggle his way out of the long, stylish coat he had managed to trip over and wind himself up hot-dog-style in. He was a sad sight in the middle of the sidewalk. "For someone so graceful, you sure are clumsy! You're a walking paradox, you are. Mou!"

Subaru sighed slightly, pouting a bit.

"But Hokuto-chan, I didn't mean to." His bright green eyes blinked up at her cutely, silently asking for forgiveness.

She sighed dramatically and extended a white-gloved hand to her brother.

"What would you do without me?" she mumbled as she pulled Subaru to his feet. She dragged him close, nuzzled her cheek against his, and giggled affectionately. "What were you doing anyway? It's not like you to simply trip out of the blue like that!" She paused for a moment, scrunching her nose slightly. "But then again, maybe it is like you."

"Hokuto-chan..." Subaru whined, dusting himself off. He leaned over and swiped his hat from the ground, repositioning it atop his head. Mildly frustrated with his display of gracelessness, he blew out a little breath of air, rustling his black fringe of bangs.

"_Hokuto-chan, Hokuto-chan!_ Really, Subaru–what do you have to say for yourself?" she clucked as she ran her hands along his stylish ruby red attire, straightening the fabric and removing the spots of dirt he had missed.

"I…" he hesitated, a patch of red adorning the bridge of his nose. "I was admiring the day, Hokuto-chan. Look! Isn't the sky so blue?" He grinned up at it dreamily.

Hokuto shook her head in exasperation.

"You're such an airhead."

He smiled softly. It was a radiant smile that drew the attention of quite a few passing pairs of eyes, both male and female. His sister rolled her eyes at the attention he was getting, and then smiled fondly at him. Poor, oblivious fool – she loved him so much. They were twins after all, and they had always been together. Their father had passed away before he had even known about their conception and their mother had followed soon after giving birth. The only time they had been separated was when their grandmother had taken Subaru away on a brief training expedition to Tokyo. But after that, Subaru had returned to Kyoto to her.

Hokuto knew Subaru like the back of her hand – or she liked to think she did. She knew his exact measurements, his dreams, his favorite foods, his personality, and his fears. However, try as she might to overlook it, Subaru had been different lately... not that it was necessarily a bad thing. He had been different ever since a particular day when he had come home from a job with a band-aid on his face. He had suffered a bad fall, he had explained, blushing at his clumsiness – but a nice man had assisted him. His green eyes had seemed just a bit more alive, his smile just a little more genuine.

Subaru had always been rather detached from the world. It was not a surprise, really – judging by how he was raised. Hokuto could remember afternoons in the sunshine with play and laughter, but then Subaru was taken away – thrust into a strict world of schooling and discipline. Such was the fate of the one deemed to one day be Clan Head of the Sumeragi Family. She recalled times when they were small, and how everyone had suddenly begun to treat Subaru differently. The discovery of his talents meant a lot of training and special treatment. The more the twins grew, the more Subaru's powers were revealed. Likewise, it became apparent that the family gift had more or less skipped Hokuto. They distracted her of course – treating her to all the things a normal little girl would love: going to shops, playing with toys, and basking in pretty clothes. But she still noticed how gaga over Subaru the family was. That wasn't what bothered her. She wasn't jealous, not of Subaru.

They had changed Subaru. He had always been timid and gentle, even when they were toddlers, but he had not been so morbidly withdrawn before training. She supposed it was the effect of shouldering too much responsibility at such a young age. After they were kept apart for a long time, she would have to remind him how to have fun again. Grandmother meant well and she knew the old woman loved the boy, but she was too strict and formal with him – a soul so pure needed nurturing and love and a carefree choice to pursue the life he chose. Oh well, that's where she, Hokuto Sumeragi, came in. She was the sister-mother – the fun-lover – the party-animal. She was the keeper of Subaru's cherished dreams. And so they grew – identical twins, but still so very different from one another. She was outspoken and loud – perhaps a result of being shunted aside and not paid attention to. Subaru was quiet and shy – the effect of receiving too much unwanted attention. She had always considered herself to be Subaru's other half, but that view was beginning to change.

No matter how hard she had previously tried, she could never seem to rouse Subaru from his dream-like, daze. He was like a walking dreamer. She had lain awake at night, afraid – afraid he would simply die. It was not that he was eager to die; he was just too willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. He claimed that his dream was to be a zookeeper and be with animals, but Hokuto knew better. No one could pursue a dream so dispassionately. She could see in Subaru's eyes that he had already convinced himself that he would never be free of the duty of being the Sumeragi Clan Head. Subaru had no true dream and that was what scared Hokuto the most. She had cried herself to sleep the first time she realized that her presence alone wasn't enough to tie Subaru to existence. He was so kind that he would destroy himself in a heartbeat if it meant that another would live. He would leave her alone.

Then a miracle happened. Ever since Seishirou had waltzed into their lives, Subaru had seemed more real – more human. She had seen new feelings develop in him the minute his eyes had sparkled when he recounted his encounter at the subway with the kind vet. Subaru suddenly felt nearer and more solid, not a ghostly creature that haunted his penthouse apartment. She knew it was because of Seishirou. To tell the truth, she hadn't been that comfortable when she had first met Seishirou, simply because she knew there was more to him than met the eye. Yet, she knew in her heart that he would be someone who would become special to Subaru. The change in Subaru was joyous. He was determined in his work – more passionate and proactive about his dealings. Sometimes his ardor surprised even her, his own sister – and she was a hard one to surprise.

"Hokuto-chan, are you coming?" she heard him call from somewhere ahead. "The fountain we're supposed to meet at is just ahead at the park."

She blinked and looked ahead at Subaru, who was smiling gently back at her. She smirked and ran to catch up, skipping happily as her billowing skirt swooshed with her every stride. Black and white lace, more or less, was the theme for today. The dress was coverall-style on the top – black buckled fabric overlaying a white lace undershirt; and the bottom was a tutu style skirt flaring out at least two-and-a-half feet. She had hints of pink, red and white roses dashed around her waistband, sash, and hair band. Her leggings and sleeves were decorated with a red checkerboard design. Subaru had a black, white, and red theme too, but his ensemble was a sleek mix of crosses and buckles – complete with stylish hat, of course. Hokuto gazed at Subaru. His green eyes hit off the hints of red wondrously. Yep, she had really outdone herself this time.

When she caught up to him, she grabbed his hands and swung him around and around, laughing happily. They spun in a hurried, joyful circle – two children on a merry-go-round. A few passersby stopped to gaze at the colorful pair who shared the same face. A wind, combined with the air from the spinning, stole Subaru's hat away. He squeaked and broke away from her to chase it. Hokuto giggled as she watched him fumble after it.

"Adorable, isn't he?" a deep voice commented from just behind her.

She spun around, a wide grin on her face.

"Sei-chan!"

"Good afternoon," Seishirou greeted mildly, eyes following Subaru in that possessive way so characteristic of him. He was dressed impeccably as usual – gray slacks with a black and maroon shirt, with an off-white coat overlaying all. His glasses glinted in the bright sunlight, and Hokuto couldn't see his light-brown eyes for the glare. The older man suddenly turned his face down to her, giving her a conspiratorial wink. The mischievous expression on his face implied, _Watch this_.

With a quick step he approached Subaru, and with a lavishly dark swoop he whirled behind him. Subaru noticed the sudden shadow that loomed over him and blinked in confusion–just before strong arms reached around his small frame and drew him close. Again, he made a small noise reminiscent to a frightened, cornered animal.

"Wha! What–!" he sputtered, wriggling helplessly in the strong grasp.

"Hello, Subaru-kun."

Subaru ceased struggling and blushed a brilliant rose color, which made his green orbs stand out all the more. Hokuto smirked as all the fight left Subaru and he was reduced to a quivering mass of embarrassment. It was cute, really – if not somewhat disturbing.

_"Beautiful man meets beautiful boy – bam!"_ she thought, eyeing the pair as Seishirou gazed smolderingly down into Subaru's bright, shimmering eyes. Their attraction to each other was undeniably obvious; therefore she, Hokuto Sumeragi, had taken it upon herself to be the helping hand – giving them a supportive push in the right direction. Okay, she would admit that she was sometimes overzealous in her show of support, but who could resist?

Seishirou rested one of his hands on Subaru's hip and turned him so that they were facing each other. He grinned in a suggestive way and fiddled with Subaru's hat, straightening it and pulling it more firmly down. He leaned his lips very close to the boy's ear. "I must say, Subaru-kun...that is a most pulchritudinous outfit you're wearing," he purred, tightening his hand ever so slightly on his waistline.

"S-S-Seishirou-san!" Subaru stuttered.

Hokuto laughed loudly, her fashion-sensors tingling with joy.

"Ohohoho! What a trendy couple you make!" Internally, she mused, _"But nice couple or not – there's something so sinfully sensual about the match-up."_

Seishirou grinned cheekily at the female twin.

"I'm afraid I pale in comparison to Subaru-kun, Hokuto-chan."

"But Sei-chan, you're missing the point! Can't you see how well you complement each other? Being complementary to each other doesn't necessarily mean matching. Besides," she waved her hand dramatically, "I design all of Subaru's outfits with you in mind these days! Ohohoho!"

Subaru made a choking noise and yanked his hat down over his eyes.

"Don't you dare stretch that fabric, Subaru!" Hokuto scolded playfully.

Seishirou made a cute expression and leaned down to pull Subaru's hat away from his face. Lifting it just enough to peer into the boy's startled eyes, he whispered, "You should listen to your elder sister, Subaru-kun – even though you look even more cute when you're flustered."

Subaru let out a little breath of frustration and blushed even more. Then, Seishirou released him from the embrace. The older man's arm lingered on his side as he stepped away. Subaru's whole body felt unnaturally warm, even after Seishirou was no longer touching him. He stared uncertainly into the man's molten eyes. The moment seemed to stretch out into eternity before Hokuto grabbed their arms.

"Well? Come on! What are you standing around for? We're going to eat lunch in the park!" she shouted, dragging them along behind her as she flounced in the direction of their destination.

Subaru blanched at her loud voice and glanced from side to side at the odd stares they were getting. "Hokuto-chan," he said softly, "not so loud..."

"Ohohohoho!" she screeched, raising her pitch in spite of Subaru's plea. "Let's go!"

They arrived at the park shortly thereafter. Seishirou spread a blanket out for them and Hokuto prepared the picnic. Subaru meekly took a seat and helped Hokuto. Afterwards, they enjoyed a wonderful lunch specially prepared by Hokuto. Seishirou sat close behind Subaru and Hokuto was across from them. The area of the park they had chosen was strangely vacant. There were hardly, if any, people around.

"It's a glorious day for a picnic," Seishirou commented happily, nibbling on a rice ball.

"Good food and relaxation is the way to go on a day like today!" Hokuto agreed jovially, gobbling down more rice.

Seishirou finished eating, thanked Hokuto again, and stacked his dishes beside the picnic-basket. In a rare display of casualness, he lay down on the blanket – stretching out in the sunshine. His stomach brushed against Subaru's back, and the boy trembled a little as he put down his chopsticks.

"Tired, Sei-chan?" Hokuto asked, practically licking her plate clean.

Seishirou's eyes darkened for a moment.

"Yes, quite. A late-night operation on Mrs. Kyobashi's cherished watchdog kept me up late last night. It was rather stressful." He paused, waiting to see if the lie would pass as acceptable.

This prompted Subaru's attention.

"Oh, no! Was the dog all right?" he asked worriedly, half-turning to face Seishirou. "Mrs. Kyobashi's had him for such a long time..."

Seishirou eyed Subaru warily. The clear green of the boy's eyes reflected perfect rays of sunlight with sparkling splendor.

"I'm afraid he passed away – even after all of my best efforts." His expression became neutral, almost hinting sadness.

Subaru's eyes swam with tears.

"Oh, no... Poor Mrs. Kyobashi..." He stared at Seishirou, suddenly feeling sad for the man – after all, if he had stayed up late, he had probably given his all to save the animal. He tentatively reached for the man's hand, overcome by the sudden need to comfort, regardless of whether or not it was actually warranted. "It's not your fault," he whispered. "The dog was old, and I'm sure he lived a very fulfilling life."

Seishirou's eyes widened for a split-second as a peculiar feeling shot through his chest. It felt a bit like a tightening noose, but it passed quickly.

"Thank you, Subaru-kun," he said fondly, tightening his hand around the boy's glove-clad fingers. He felt a sudden longing to touch the smooth softness of that hand rather than the silken glove that always covered it. He raised the hand to his cheek and pressed it flat against his skin, spreading the fingers.

_Mine_, he mouthed. He heard Subaru's sharp intake of breath and realized that the boy did not miss the word. He glanced up into the emerald eyes, expecting to find Subaru flustered and bumbling. To his surprise, Subaru was rather calm. A pretty blush colored his face, but the corners of his strawberry lips were upturned slightly. His green eyes were darker than usual. _Hmm_, Seishirou thought to himself. _Interesting_.

Subaru moved his fingers experimentally, lips forming a small 'o' as Seishiro leaned into that tentative touch. Subaru was trembling.

"Seishirou...san..."

Seishirou smiled and pulled the boy down to him, laughing secretively as the boy gave a startled yelp. He put one arm around the boy's waist, resting his hand in the small of his back. He pressed his body closer.

"Subaru...kun." The soft fluff of silken hair tickled his neck pleasantly. The feel of the boy altogether was a rather pleasant one. He was indulging himself for the moment.

"S-Sei...shi..." Subaru breathed, just beginning to exert the tiniest pressure on his body in return. He gazed up into gold, possessive eyes – suppressing his want to be possessed by the man wound about him.

Muffled laughter came from across them. Seishirou glanced over Subaru's head to find Hokuto dreamily resting her chin in her hands. She was trying not to giggle, he could tell. She had both of her hands in her mouth. He almost cursed aloud. He had actually forgotten that the girl was still present. It was time to disperse the nice situation he had created with his Subaru-kun. He grinned evilly and attacked the younger boy's middle with probing fingers.

Subaru's face turned bright red and he quivered for a second before he began to laugh. It started out as soft snickers and then erupted into full-blown screeches of laughter. It was utterly adorable. He writhed under Seishirou's onslaught, twisting in an attempt to get away from his attacker. Seishirou, for one, had never seen the boy so uncontrollably abandoned. He watched with hooded eyes as Subaru rocked back and forth, gasping for air.

"Subaru-kun," he murmured, burying his face into the boy's blanket of soft hair. "Are you ticklish?"

Subaru could not answer – he was too busy gulping air. It seemed that he was very ticklish indeed.

Hokuto had burst into a giggle-fit as soon as Subaru had begun to laugh. 

"Oh, no! Sei-chan's discovered Subaru's secret weakness!" she crowed. She observed the childish display in front of her with mixed feelings. On one hand, she was entirely happy – it seemed her brother and Seishirou had found some special harmony in each other; but on the other hand, she was undeniably jealous. She had never been able to make Subaru laugh like that. She knew he was mildly ticklish there, but all she had ever been able to manage on a good day were a few small giggles from her brother. Her chuckles trailed off and she suddenly wished they would stop. She had begun to feel almost like a third-wheel – they were completely ignoring her. She desperately tried to squash the depressing thoughts and feelings. "Awooo! Get a room!" she shouted.

That brought an abrupt halt to the foreplay.

Seishirou stilled his ministrations and Subaru jerked away from the man's grasp. He kept backpedaling until he was beside Hokuto.

"S-Seishirou-san!" he exclaimed loudly, tightly closing his eyes and protectively wrapping his arms around his midsection. He was as red as a blazing sunset. What if people had seen?

Seishirou laughed delightedly.

"I guess this means there _is_ a way to cheer Subaru-kun up when he's gloomy. I'll have to make good use of it from now on."

Subaru squeaked.

"From now on?" he repeated quietly.

Hokuto threw an arm around her brother's shoulders.

"Of course, Subaru! As your _husband_, Seishirou-chan _needs_ to know little tricks like that!"

Subaru buried his overly ripe face in his hands. He wished that the ground would swallow him up, or that he would at least become suddenly deaf to Seishirou and Hokuto's teasing laughter. He let out a miserable moan and made to stand up. He tried desperately to forget about his embarrassment.

"I'm going to look at the fountain," he announced abruptly.

Seishirou and Hokuto stared at him, both still chuckling feebly.

Seishirou began to stand.

"Be careful Subaru-kun, the pumps in fountains can be pretty powerful, especially for large ones like that. You don't want to fall in – the suction would pull you right to the bottom. Perhaps I should accompany you."

"No, no! It's okay, really! I'll go by myself. Both of you can rest here," Subaru insisted. Before they could protest, he darted quickly up the grassy hill towards the marble and concrete display.

After a moment's silence, Seishirou spoke.

"I do believe we might have hurt his feelings, Hokuto-chan."

"Nah," Hokuto said, repacking the picnic supplies. "He's just embarrassed. Subaru's the kind of brother who cries when he's truly upset, ya know?"

Seishirou sighed heavily.

"Maybe. Still, I'm going to join him. I'll at least stand from a distance to make sure he doesn't fall in."

Hokuto beamed at the man.

"Wow, you're so caring, Sei-chan! But you're sort of a worrier, ya know?"

"I can't help it," Seishirou sighed, assisting in collecting the picnic supplies.

"Aww! Too sweet! If you hold on a minute, I'll go with you. It's about time to go anyway," Hokuto said as she placed the chopsticks neatly in the basket.

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Subaru sighed as he gazed at the fountain. The soft trickling of water soothed his nerves. His heart was still beating so rapidly. It was all because of Seishirou. Subaru had been worrying over this for so long – this strange connection between them. At first, it had all seemed like gentle teasing. After all, Subaru was not exactly a people-person, and he often overreacted to simple prodding. But lately... Lately, it had seemed different – more heated. Or maybe he was imagining it. What if, in actuality, Seishirou was acting no different, but he was simply reacting differently to it? It was too confusing! Subaru shook his head back and forth, as if the motion would clear his head.

He couldn't possibly be falling for the older man – the kind veterinarian. He couldn't possibly be! They were both men and – and – and yet...

_Yet..._

He stared as the water spilled from the openings, cascading down into eternity. He wanted to stay forever with Seishirou. He wasn't accustomed to such strong, selfish feelings. It was foreign – so startling it was almost painful. Could this really be true? Was it all just a dream waiting to break? When he thought of Seishirou, he ached... mentally, spiritually, and physically. He blushed at the last thought. Yes, physically, too – even though he tried to deny the strange feeling. The sentiment was like a bud waiting to bloom – and he was slightly afraid of the overpowering sensation. What if Seishirou found his desire disgusting? Would he even acknowledge it? Even now, Subaru was wary of accepting his own emotions and responses.

He turned his attention upwards to the clear blue sky. He had been caught gazing earlier – his thoughts lingering, as they always did these days, on Seishirou. He had been admiring the sky, as he'd told Hokuto, but he had also been wondering what Seishirou was doing on such a beautiful afternoon. He was secretly hoping the man's thoughts were as much focused on Subaru as Subaru's were on him. Sighing, he nudged his foot against the side of the fountain wall. When did his life get so complicated?

He did a double take when he returned his attention to the sky.

The moon was out – full and red.

_But it's too early for the moon – especially a full, harvest one._

He blinked again and the vision of the moon wavered. He strained his eyes in confusion as it finally disappeared as if it had been nothing more than a distant mirage in a desert.

_What–?_

Now it was cold and all around was black. He couldn't see anything for the darkness. All was blackness and falling snow. A figure was slowly approaching him with a graceful, swaying walk. The red moon reappeared – larger this time, giving the impression it was sitting on the horizon. The figure was silhouetted against the red light. As he approached, Subaru could see wind stirring black garments and black hair.

The figure's face was shadowed.

There was a golden cross on a chain looped around his neck. It glowed faintly in the dreary darkness. As the figure took another step, Subaru was surprised that the snow crunching underfoot made no noise. He tried to call out to the person, but his vocal chords were inaudible as well. There was no sound in this bleak, cold world. He desperately strained his ears for the splash of the running water of the fountain.

Nothing.

_Nothing._

_"Who are you?"_ he desperately wanted to ask.

He saw red streams on the person's pale cheeks. Was he crying or were his eyes bleeding? Maybe it was both. Subaru shuddered as he felt the first stirrings of power – malevolent power – from the figure. Ill intent. Subaru tried to move but found that his body was held by an icy paralysis. The snow floated delicately all around him, a ceremonial dance of death.

The black-clad person was now mere inches from his face.

_"Who are you? Why are you so familiar?"_

Subaru's vision became blurry as he felt consciousness begin to slip away. A hand was shooting out towards his neck, and then a fierce grip was choking him.

_Why?_

Subaru fell. To the mysterious person, he was like a dying red rose hitting white snow.

_Nothing._

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Seishirou and Hokuto walked up the hill and caught sight of Subaru staring mindlessly at the gigantic fountain. Seishirou smiled slightly and whispered to Hokuto, "Looks like Subaru-kun is thinking deeply."

"He's probably thinking about you then," Hokuto said, a little more sharply than she had intended.

Seishirou looked mildly surprised at the touch of bitterness that had seeped into her voice.

"Or perhaps he's thinking of you, dearest maiden who is closest to his heart."

Hokuto laughed then, a laugh like the tinkling of bells.

"Hardly, Sei-chan!" she said happily, erasing all traces of negativity from her outward demeanor. "He looks both confused and happy – the recipe for unspoken love!"

Seishirou laughed whole-heartedly along with her.

"I see. I can always hope, right?" He turned back to look at Subaru, smiling as he watched him climb up on the edge of the fountain. "Wait," he said briskly, suddenly turning serious. "What's he doing?"

Hokuto directed her gaze to where Seishirou was staring.

"Huh?"

They watched, transfixed, as Subaru stood stark still upon the concrete edge of the fountain. His eyes were vacant and grayish. Something was wrong. He swayed precariously for a moment, hair ruffling in the wind. He looked like a rag-doll, arms swaying with him as he staggered forward.

"Seishirou," Hokuto whispered, gripping the man's tense forearm as she helplessly watched the scene play out.

The world began to slow down.

Subaru fell.

Hokuto shrieked.

Seishirou broke away from her and sprinted across the distance.

The splash was resounding.

END CHAPTER ONE.

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Disclaimer: CLAMP owns.

Beta Reader(s): Fin Mefiant, Silvermuse89

Review Replies: Have been moved to my Live Journal. Link on my author's page.


	3. II Abnormality

The light at the end of the path is an illusion. But how strong is the Wish? And can illusions become reality?

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**Illusory Tandem**

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Hokuto's knees nearly buckled as she forced her legs to move. She stumbled, high heels skidding against the concrete before she went down. The skin tore from her knees, and highly oxygenated blood flashed bright red in the sunlight. Cursing under her breath, she picked herself back up, the thought of Subaru and Seishirou propelling her to move forward.

"Subaru! Sei-chan!" she croaked in a breathless whisper as she struggled to get to them. Her mind screamed the same words over and over again: "_The pumps will pull them under, the pumps will pull them under, the pumps will pull them under!" _Images of Subaru danced through her mind – Subaru smiling, Subaru crying, Subaru laughing, and Subaru saying her name. "_Seishirou, please… Please…" _

_Please…_

_Save Subaru!_

She reached the fountain edge, ready to fling herself in after them, but stopped with a jolt of fear as soon as she noticed the state of the water. Staring down into the thick consistency of what seemed like a vibrant pudding, her lips began to quiver. It was red. Not bright red, but dark – dark like old blood. She watched with morbid fascination as the fountainheads spouted the substance, spraying red in every direction as if in murderous rage.

_Oh, God. _

She was going to throw up. It wasn't true; her brother couldn't possibly be down there, trapped within that thick and vile blood. It didn't make sense. Why was the water red? Was it an illusion – a hallucination? Perhaps the vision was the fault of food poisoning by bad picnic meat? Any alternative explanation seemed better than what stared her in the face. Red spoke of blood, which turned her thoughts immediately to death. But Subaru couldn't die; she wouldn't let him die. Subaru might be able to make it without her, but she couldn't make it without him. She needed her twin. She loved him.

But the water was red, and she was going to be sick. She was going to vomit and expel the lunch she had just eaten. Her knees buckled and she collapsed; the blood from her knees dripping onto the concrete.

_Sploosh. _

Seishirou miraculously emerged, holding the younger Sumeragi twin in his arms. He was taking in air in huge hoarse gulps and he had lost his jacket and shoes. His black hair was a wet mass, clinging to his head like seaweed. Subaru too had lost his jacket and shoes – even the fabulous hat Hokuto had toiled to make. Seishirou stepped down from the edge and sank to his knees, taking great care to be gentle with the boy in his arms. Hokuto weakly crawled to her his side.

"He's so pale. Subaru… _Subaru_, are you breathing?" she whimpered.

Seishirou scowled and brushed his bangs from his eyes to reveal pure, glittering orbs of gold. He must have lost his glasses, too. He seemed different without them on, she thought. The lenses usual acted as a buffer and softened their striking ferocity. Hokuto blanched when she noticed that the water dripping from their bodies was crystal clear. She whipped her head around to look at the fountain, only to find that it had returned to normal. Whatever half-spun illusion or panic-induced hallucination had caused the water to bleed had disappeared.

"What's going on?" she murmured helplessly, placing a trembling hand on Subaru's cold forehead.

Seishirou was staring at Subaru in an unnervingly hungry manner. He glanced at Hokuto before possessively pulling the boy closer to him. Hokuto felt a hot surge of anger well up inside, despite the fact that the man had just saved her brother's life. Subaru was _her _twin. What right did Seishiro have to take him? Subaru was in danger and he needed his older sister! She had been by his side for sixteen years. She wasn't about to take a step back from her duties.

Seishirou placed two fingers on the boy's neck, face twitching slightly when he felt no pulse. He quickly placed the boy on his back and administered two rescue breaths. He wildly fumbled to get his hands on the small sternum before pounding fifteen times. He followed with more almost frantic breaths. He repeated the process over and over, a strange feeling of panic settling in his chest when it seemed to make no difference.

"Come on, Subaru-kun," he gritted out through clenched teeth. It was hard to concentrate with Hokuto wailing in the background.

When he again placed his mouth over Subaru's cold unresponsive lips, he was rewarded with slight movement and a cough before water gushed from the boy's mouth into his own. He broke away and allowed the water to dribble out down the boy's chin before again frantically pressing his lips to his mouth once more. This time, it seemed Subaru had regained a tiny fraction of consciousness. Seishirou wormed a hand between them and pressed it firmly to the boy's chest. He couldn't keep down a wave of relief when he found that his heart was beating. Regaining a semblance of composure knowing that Subaru would live, Seishirou slyly moved his lips in a hidden kiss. He leaned his body closer, eventually pulling the boy up to him for better enjoyment. He hid his surprise when the soft, pale lips moved tentatively in response.

"Mmph!" Subaru's eyes flew open, shining with a mixture of shock and amazement. His fists were clenched around the fabric on Seishirou's forearms. After a moment, he shut his eyes tightly and wondered if he was simply dreaming. It was all too much to process at once – first he had been assaulted by the vision of a dark figure before a red moon, and now it seemed that Seishirou was kissing him. He felt his whole face heat up and knew that it was probably a vibrant shade of crimson. His fingers moved helplessly against Seishirou's biceps, torn between wanting the man to continue and wishing for him to stop.

With every fiber of his being, Seishirou wanted to keep holding the boy – to keep moving their lips in heated unison. More than that, he wanted to press forward – open the boy's mouth to his exploration. Mildly surprised at his own eagerness, he spread his fingers out across Subaru's warm back and pressed him closer. He felt the boy's hands unclench and clamp onto his shoulders – gloved fingernails digging into wet skin. But Subaru tasted exquisite and Seishirou wasn't about to forego taking full advantage of a rare situation. He nearly roared aloud when an intruding pair of arms wrapped around Subaru and pulled him away from him. At the unexpected separation, Subaru gripped his shirt out of pure reflex. The grip accidentally yanked the older man into his lap. Hokuto, meanwhile, had tears streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face in Subaru's sopping wet hair.

"Subaru! Subaru! _Subaru_!" she sobbed, shaking her head back and forth.

"Hokuto…chan?" Subaru rasped out, his voice hoarse and weak.

She opened her tear-laden eyes and gazed at Subaru is disbelief. She had almost lost him. She had actually almost lost him. She placed her hands on his cheeks and leaned her forehead against his.

"Subaru, you scared me," she whispered harshly. "You shouldn't worry your sister like that!" As she spoke, her voice regained some of her usual ferocity. She threaded her hand in his wet hair protectively before sliding it down to cup the side of one of his still-wet cheeks. "What in the world happened?"

Seishirou, who had positioned his head quite comfortably in the pillow of Subaru's lap, let out a frustrated breath of air. He was secretively annoyed that Hokuto had to ruin his fun with something as simple as worry for her brother.

"Yes, do tell us about it, Subaru-kun. That was quite frightening."

Subaru shook his head slightly as if to clear it.

"What do you mean?" he said slowly, glancing around uncertainly. He half-expected to see a gigantic red moon descend from the sky, or maybe the surroundings would darken as the concrete floor transformed into white snow. The vision had been unnerving and aberrant, but what had transpired exactly? While the memory of the apparition remained clear, the reality of how much time has passed was not. He had no idea why he had awoken to the sensation of Seishirou's lips on his, or why Hokuto was upset with him for worrying her. He was wet, that much he was aware of, but the rest was a blessed obscurity. All he knew of the minutes before he lost consciousness was that haunting vision.

"You suddenly climbed up on that concrete slab and dove head-first into this huge fountain, that's what!" Hokuto shrieked, throwing her hands into the air.

Seishirou craned his neck to view the female twin with a slight frown on his face.

"Well, I wouldn't say that's exactly how it went but – " He stopped speaking when he felt the Subaru shiver. "You know, I think it can wait," he said as he gathered himself to stand. "Let's get Subaru-kun home first, Hokuto-chan, and then we'll discuss the details."

Subaru opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it when strong arms captured him in a brief almost-embrace and lifted him upward. He ended up high above the ground, resting in Seishiro's arms. Averting his eyes, a blush brightened his cheeks and he nervously wrung his hands together.

"S-S-Seishirou-san!" he protested. "Y-you don't need to carry me!"

The older man summoned up his cutest pout and turned it full-blast on the boy in his arms.

"But Subaru-kun, you must be drained of energy!"

Hokuto laughed demonically, struggling to cover her shaky nerves with humor.

"That's right! Why, Subaru – " she whipped off one of her gloves and reached up to feel his forehead, "I do believe you're running a fever. In this delicate state, you simply _must_ let Sei-chan carry you! If you're embarrassed about what people will think, just pretend to be unconscious!"

Subaru made a noise of protest, but wound up allowing Seishiro to carry him in the end. After all, despite his immense embarrassment, he was still very aware of his manners. Seishirou was only being polite, after all, and such politeness should be received with grace. After a few minutes, he found himself relaxing against the warm body that held him close. He head was still swimming uncomfortably from the strange daydream.

In the instant before the images had encased his mind, he had felt a sort of ripple in the surrounding spiritual field. Some entity had disturbed the energy. Whatever it was, Subaru felt the first stirrings of darkness and dread in the pit of his stomach thinking about it. On impulse, he raised his head and peered over Seishirou's shoulder back at the fountain, which was growing smaller and smaller in the distance. He tensed as a hard wind shuffled the trees and a quick flock of black crows moved across the sky like a storm cloud. "_Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw!" _The flapping of rude wings sounded in his ears like trumpets, and his breath began came in harsh, ragged puffs.

"_There it is again. What is this feeling?"_

Seishirou felt the boy tense against him, and he cast a questioning glance downward to see what the problem was. Subaru was looking over Seishirou's shoulder, perhaps back at the fountain. The man frowned when the green eyes widened and became vacant and grayish, just as they had before he had plunged into the water of the fountain. He heard the ragged breathing and craned his neck around and focused his attention on the same spot Subaru was looking at. Nothing was out of the ordinary. The air was still and the sky was clear blue. He shifted the boy in his grasp worriedly.

"Subaru-kun?" he said quietly.

Subaru did not respond. His lips parted in quiet wonder at whatever he was entranced by. Seishiro shook him slightly and tightened his grip on him. He glanced warily at Hokuto, who was skipping with picnic basket in hand a good way ahead of them, and then stared back at Subaru, the green eyes threatening to overwhelm him with their indifference.

"Subaru-kun," he said in a deeper, more threatening tone.

The boy snapped to attention and blinked at him in confusion.

"Seishirou-san?"

"What is it?" Seishirou asked, unconsciously leaning his face closer.

"It's nothing – just a feeling," Subaru whispered, several chills racking his body. He sighed and placed his hands behind the man's neck.

"Nothing…?" Seishirou echoed, sensing that he was telling only a half-truth.

"Lat – _ah_!" Subaru's eyes snapped wide open as a flash of red blinked before his vision like a strobe light. A sharp pain shot through his limbs and he tightened his arms around Seishirou's neck. "Ugh!" Shutting his eyes tightly, he grimaced – waiting impatiently for the nauseating feeling to pass. The throbbing was immensely painful, like a relentless fist bludgeoning his heart.

"Subaru-kun, what is it?" Seishiro asked with growing apprehension, his voice just a shade taut in its tone.

_What is it?_

Subaru could not respond; he only gripped the man more desperately. Seishirou cradled the boy's head and dashed ahead to catch up to Hokuto.

"Hurry, Hokuto-chan!"

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When they reached Subaru's apartment, Hokuto scuttled in front to unlock the door. As soon as the lock clicked, Seishirou practically kicked the door open. He whirled inside and deposited an unconscious Subaru on the couch. Seishirou disappeared back into Subaru's bedroom but reappeared quickly with a large bed comforter in his arms. He wrapped the younger boy in it and sat down beside the couch, brushing aside dark bangs back to feel a scorched forehead.

"He's burning up," he murmured softly.

Hokuto stood nearby and leaned over her brother worriedly.

"Well, at least he's breathing. He's just tired, I bet. Let's let him sleep for a while, and then we'll ask the questions." She patted Subaru's head lovingly and then spun around energetically to march toward the kitchen. "I'm making dinner and tea!" she announced loudly, attempting earnestly to lighten the mood.

Seishirou nodded cheerfully and plastered a smile on his face.

"I'm assuming that I can stay," he laughed.

Hokuto grinned brightly.

"Of course, Sei-chan! By the way, could you do me a favor?"

Seishirou smiled absently, stroking the hair that framed Subaru's face.

"Why, of course. Anything for my dear future sister-in-law."

Hokuto giggled and bounced energetically from side to side. She reminded Seishirou of the annoying miniature dogs women carried around in their purses.

"Hang on – I'll be right back!" she crowed, skipping merrily out the door. She was no doubt going to her own apartment to retrieve something she had specially made. Seishirou figured that it was probably some crazy clothing assortment – the girl was obsessed with fashion, after all.

He turned his gaze back to the sleeping Sumeragi. Subaru's lips parted slightly as he took a hurried breath. Fascinated, he leaned closer, succumbing to the immense desire to touch. He brushed his fingers delicately across the rosy lips, smirking as they responded with shy movement. He bestowed feather-light touches on the pale, smooth cheeks and pressed his lips hungrily to the soft eyelids. Seishirou had erred severely earlier in daring to kiss the younger Sumeragi. Now, he knew he would crave the taste for the rest of his days. Although tasting was a purely carnal pleasure, he knew he had to be careful. It was a condition that was potentially very dangerous.

His musings were disturbed as Hokuto reentered, holding, as was expected, a pile of clothes. Her smile was mischievous as she plopped Indian-style down on the floor, immediately sifting through the various articles she had brought.

"I was struck by the best inspiration the other day," she was saying, "and I couldn't resist making these cute pajamas! Look, I made a pair for each of us!" She flipped out three solid-colored sets of pajamas, each consisting of a Chinese-style button-up shirt and matching pants. The style was relatively calm, especially considering Hokuto's usual taste for the outrageous. Except for the elaborate trim and buttons, Seishirou figured one just might see something like it in a department store. Hokuto extended a large pair of deep red pajamas trimmed with black to him. He noted that the size was much too big to fit either of the Sumeragi twins.

"These're yours, Sei-chan!" Hokuto exclaimed proudly.

"Hokuto-chan, how clever!" he laughed loudly. "But it might be considered most inappropriate, don't you think? I mean, _pajamas_. It's almost as if you're inviting me to spend the night." Darkly, he glanced at Subaru, mind dancing with hidden thoughts at the many possibilities that existed regarding the boy.

Hokuto giggled evilly.

"Nonsense, Sei-chan! Inappropriate? Hah! You're practically a part of the family!"

Seishirou's eyes darkened at the irony her words presented. She inferred that Sakurazuka was nearly joined with the name of Sumeragi. It was laughable, considering the embitterment that had built up between the two clans over the course of many generations.

"All the same," Hokuto continued, "you need to get rid of those wet clothes. Subaru, too. You can wear those cute pajamas while you wait for your normal clothes to dry." She lifted her own set, a pair of yellow garments, and skipped off toward the kitchen. "I'll see you when dinner's ready," she said with a peal of laughter.

Seishirou chuckled to himself as he gathered the two pairs of pajamas under one arm and Subaru under the other. He walked back to Subaru's bedroom and closed the door soundlessly. Depositing the clothes on Subaru's bed, he gently laid the boy down. He stood and stripped off his own wet clothes before redressing in the red-colored pajamas. The garments were made of silk and were oh-so-comfortable as they slid across his skin. He felt a distinct sense of gratitude to the female Sumeragi. Smiling sinisterly, he approached Subaru's sleeping form.

Ever so slowly, he eased himself onto the soft bed. He loomed over the boy, eyeing his form predatorily. Deftly, he slid his hands under the wet shirt, caressing the damp skin that waited underneath. He withdrew his hands after a second to focus on undoing the ornate buckles holding the coverall fashion assortment together. After he had managed that, he was able to slide the dampened shirt from the boy's body. The skin revealed was creamy white, like a porcelain doll. Unable to deny himself further, Seishirou dipped his head forward, tracing his tongue along the small collarbone.

Subaru involuntarily shivered. Seishirou laughed deep in his throat and breathed against the moist skin. He entertained the notion of Subaru awakening to find them in such a position. How cute would the boy's blush be once he realized what was going on? Chuckling, he stroked the soft skin and kissed the feathery hair. Yes, it would be interesting to see his reaction. Seishirou unbuckled the boy's pants and slid them off next. He grinned sweetly as he ran his fingers down the length of silky legs. Begrudgingly, he grabbed the blue pajamas and slowly slid them over Subaru's pale, glowing skin. He couldn't dally too long, lest Hokuto-chan become suspicious. He pulled the boy to him as he rubbed the cloth of the shirt sensually against his skin. Next he hugged Subaru even closer, so that the boy's head rested in the crook of his neck. With a mischievous expression, he ran his tongue languidly around the soft skin of the boy's ear, feeling a strange thrill run through his body.

Seishirou nearly jumped backward when he felt Subaru's slack form stiffen. He withdrew his tongue and tried to pull away, but to his surprise, soft arms came up to hug his neck. Subaru's face remained where it was, buried in Seishirou's neck. Seishirou could feel his warm, fast breathing. Long seconds ticked by in silence, and Seishirou was tempted to resume his previous activities.

"Subaru-kun," he rumbled in a husky breath.

"Seishirou-san," Subaru replied softly, his voice equally as husky. Seishirou was not sure whether the huskiness had resulted from their close proximity or was simply a result of fear.

Seishirou tightened his grip on him, firmly pressing their bodies close together. He rubbed his hands down Subaru's shoulder blades and ran his hands to rest in the small of his back. He felt the boy's sharp intake of breath at the action and smirked triumphantly.

"S-Sei…" Subaru breathed. "I'm… this… I…" He closed his eyes, heart thumping erratically beneath his clothes. "I had a vision earlier."

Seishirou shopped his actions abruptly. He pulled Subaru back so he could look at his face. He stared into deep pools of frightened green and tilted his head. Subaru was acting strangely. He had not even questioned the situation, nor shown any real resistance to Seishirou's questionable actions. On top of his apparent obliviousness, he was babbling incoherent sentences. Forcing himself to smile disarmingly, Seishirou tried to act like he was interested in what the boy was saying.

"Subaru-kun, what kind of vision was it?" he asked, feigning curiosity.

Subaru broke eye contact and surprised Seishirou again by clinging to him like a frightened child. His lips brushed Seishirou's ear as he whispered.

"I'm scared…" Subaru was struggling to catch his breath. Some part of him was reluctant to reveal the details of the vision.

"It's all right, Subaru-kun," Seishirou murmured soothingly, running his hands through the boy's soft hair.

"I think it was…a warning of things to come. There was…a red moon…and blood," Subaru shuddered, his eyes taking on a faraway look. "It was so dark, Seishirou-san. So dark. But it was snowing and…there was a man dressed in black. He was wearing a golden cross. And then, as I was falling…I saw them. I've never seen… I've never seen sakura petals so red."

_I've never seen sakura petals so red._

Just as Seishirou was turning the explanation over in his head, there was an unexpected jolt of energy that crashed into his chest. Judging from Subaru's expression, he could tell that the boy had felt it too. Seishiro crushed Subaru to him and reached out with his senses on high alert.

"_What was that?" _he wondered, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. There had been a fluctuation of energy – incredibly powerful, but only there for a secondHe glanced at Subaru. The boy's eyes were wide and shockingly green. It seemed that he had definitely registered the brief strangeness of the surroundings.

All at once, it was like a gigantic storm had been released in each respective onmyouji's head. Seishirou tried to force the distracting pain and panic from the tree to the back of his mind. In the end it proved too much for even him to handle and he fell backwards, eyes drooping closed as he collapsed onto the soft bed. Subaru too felt his consciousness slip, and he fell with Seishirou, head landing with a soft thump on the older man's chest.

That was how Hokuto found them half an hour later.

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Elsewhere, in the thickness of newly descended fog in the deepness of a velvet night, a man opened his eyes in bleary confusion. He was lying underneath a flickering streetlamp in a dark, dirty alleyway. The electrical buzz of the light threatened to lose power altogether. Gasping aloud as everything came into focus, he shot up, heaving great gulps of air as he glanced from side to side like a wild animal. His head was pounding with crashing ocean waves, a hurricane in a lightless world.

He brushed back his messy hair with a black-gloved hand. It was soaked with sweat and clung to his hand as if it were possessed by static electricity. Groaning, he uncertainly picked himself off the ground. Then, he staggered forward, step by step, until he was out of the dark alleyway. The brightness of the light at the end of the tunnel hit him suddenly, and he cowered like a true creature of the night. Mouth agape, he stared at the glowing neon lights glittering all around the ritzy district.

"Shinjuku?"

He took a rattling breath and gripped the long chain that hung from his neck. How had he ended up here? He had been in the Sakurazuka house in the outskirts of Tokyo. Now, he was deep within city limits. He leaned against the wall for support and stared down at the pure glittering gold that was the cross around his neck. Its brightness stood out in stark contrast to his black clothes. He was no longer garbed in a sakura-patterned hakama.

"What's happened to me?"

He felt heavy eyes on him. Looking up, he noticed a shady figure leaning against the brick wall next to him. A fair-colored foreign man swathed in the stench of alcohol was leering at him with unhidden lust. The alcohol permeated his existence like expensive, over-applied cologne. He stepped forward and stoically met the dark blue eyes of the stranger stoically.

"Hey there, pretty thing," the foreigner rasped in broken Japanese.

Subaru said nothing in return, but instead leaned into the other man's body, pursing his lips in thought. He kept his eyes blank.

The foreigner smiled and snaked his arms around him possessively, happy with the close contact.

"Come with me," he whispered, smoothing back the pretty man's black hair. His breath was a mix of illegal marijuana and plain tobacco.

Subaru merely stared at him impassively, giving no answer to the question. Instead, he asked one of his own – it was an illogical question, a fleeting curiosity. He really had no idea what possessed him to ask it.

"What year is it?" His voice was cold and cutting.

The foreigner smiled and pressed a kiss to the pale skin of his throat, an action that inspired tense discomfort in Subaru's heart.

"Hmm?" the foreigner laughed roughly. "That's an odd question. Are you crazy, pretty boy?"

"Answer," Subaru insisted.

"Hm," the foreigner frowned. "1990. Listen, it's all right if you're crazy – it doesn't matter to me. You're sexy." He stooped and breathed in the scent of the smaller man. His expression changed abruptly and he tried to pull away. "Hey. You – you smell like blood!"

Subaru stared blankly at him for a moment, mind refusing to comprehend the information at first.

"Do I?" he asked with a small, dull smile. "But I thought it didn't matter if I was crazy."

The foreigner trembled and tried to back away, but the wall barred his escape.

"W-wait," he squeaked hoarsely as Subaru advanced. "_Wait_!"

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The man dressed in the black trench coat exited the alleyway a second time, leaving a corpse behind him half-buried in garbage. As he walked down the damp, foggy streets, a sharp bout of insane laughter escaped from his lips. It ended just as suddenly as it had begun. He was bitter.

"Tokyo, 1990."

_1990._

END CHAPTER TWO

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Disclaimer: CLAMP owns.

Beta Reader: Fin Mefiant

Review Replies: Have been moved to my Live Journal. Link on my author's page.


	4. III Transition

Speaking in shuddering rhythms, the Wish grew wings that knew not how to fly.

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**Illusory Tandem**

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The sun rose, splashing the world in vibrant hues of red and pink. The chilly morning found a lone man dressed in a damp, black trench coat sitting on a park bench, staring hard at the date printed across the top of a hot-off-the-press newspaper.

"_It's true. May 5th, 1990. Unbelievable..."_

The night had been a long and dreamless. He had seen to the tree after he had killed that foreigner. To his surprise and slight suspicion, the towering sakura had recognized him as the Sakurazukamori due to his lingering linkage to the future tree – a paradox in itself. The entity had been a little reluctant to communicate at first, but when he had activated his powers and retrieved a gift (the corpse of the foreign man), it had been eager to receive him as a second master. Luckily, the cherry tree was an evil thing, and deception for the sake of more nourishment had been a welcome agreement. It had promised to keep its new alternative master a secret from its current one – a deal that had secretly unnerved him for fear of betrayal or discovery. Yet, Subaru had a fleeting feeling that it understood what exactly he was – a person derived from the future. The sakura tree was a mysterious creature indeed. He sighed, not desiring to dwell on the darkness any longer than was necessary.

Shakily, he reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes, only to find that the damp box he carried was completely empty. He sighed and stood, unconsciously clenching his clammy fingers around the gold cross around his neck. The last thing he remembered was the music box, and then dressing in a white robe and sorting through an old hope chest. Afterwards, there had been a vortex of nothingness, and then he had found himself dressed in his normal black garb, body sprawled out over wet ground in a dark alleyway. When the foreign man had informed him of the date, he had been skeptical and even angry. But now, after viewing a dated newspaper, he swallowed hard against the undeniable truth. What was he to do now? _Why_ was he here?

"_To make my Wish a reality?"_

He sighed. His clothes were still damp from bathing in the river. Most of the blood was no longer visible nor did it smell so strongly. He still preferred to keep away from people, lest suspicions grow. Wandering through the early morning streets, he noted that the numbers of people walking were fewer than the night before. Tokyo was a city of night, much more so than a town of early-bird risers. Spying a vending machine just inside a small, decent-looking café, he spun and began making his toward it. He had no place to stay and limited money, but he had to have his cigarettes. Swaying around a few joggers, he reached the door.

It was an odd restaurant, having vending machines inside near the doorway, he thought. It was probably arranged to keep better surveillance over buyers, as opposed to having the machines outside. He purchased a pack of Mild Sevens. After retrieving the box from the vending machine, he took a seat in an empty booth, enjoying the aroma of the restaurant. He was tired, after all; he seldom slept. Surely minimal relaxation was not unreasonable.

"Sir, can I get you anything?"

Subaru looked up to find a young boy staring at him intently. He had long, wavy locks of gold that were tied back into a long ponytail. His navy blue-violet eyes blinked inquisitively at him. He wiped his hands on his apron and drew forth a small writing tablet. Grabbing a ballpoint pen from behind his ear, he mechanically prepared to take an order.

"Today's breakfast specials include--"

Subaru took a long drag of his cigarette and breathed out slowly. "No, thank you," he said dully.

The boy perked up suddenly. "No money?" he asked in a mixture of disbelief and pity.

Subaru scowled. "_Now, that was pretty rude for a waiter to ask."_

Taking his silence as a _no_, the boy skipped away bouncingly. He returned a split-second later with a tray full of steaming vegetables and rice. He plopped down in the empty seat across from him and set the assortment on the table.

Subaru raised an eyebrow. "I said _no, thank you_."

The boy grinned secretively and winked. "I know, but _I'm _hungry, and I want to take a break from working. Heh. Hope you don't mind me sitting here."

Subaru stared at him impassively, wondering if his intent was to torture him with the aroma of the food. Then, he noticed that he had a large surplus of breakfast.

"_So, he plans to take pity on me and share breakfast, huh."_

"I'm Kanaye, by the way – Yoshido Kanaye," the boy said plainly, taking a sip of tea. He slid a steaming cup of coffee toward Subaru. "I hope coffee's okay – you looked like the type."

Subaru closed his gloved hands around the cup, staring at the drink with mild distaste. "Do I look that bitter?" he asked dully.

Kanaye stared at him for a moment, eyes widening. Then, he burst into squealing laughter. "Bwahahaha! Oh, man! I wasn't expecting you to be funny!" He caught his breath quickly. "Sorry, sorry…"

Subaru managed a small, fake smile for the boy. "It's all right."

Kanaye leaned back and straightened his small, gold-rimmed glasses. "So stranger, what brings you here today? You look a little down."

Subaru took a sip of his coffee, trying to hide his expression of dislike. "I just stopped in to buy cigarettes from your vending machine."

"Cigarettes, hmm. My co-worker smokes, too – at least two packs a day! Wish he'd quit. I never took it up, mind you, even though I'm old enough – nineteen years and starting a career!" he laughed heartily. "I can tell by your expression you're surprised. Haha! Yeah, most people peg me for fourteen or so 'cause I'm so small and the other half of the populace thinks I'm a girl!"

Subaru smiled slightly; this time, it was almost real. "Don't worry about it. I suffered a similar dilemma at one time in my life."

The boy smirked at him. "I hate to say this, but I'm not surprised. I'll bet you get harassed for your looks even now."

"Is that a compliment?" Subaru asked dully, picking up some rice with his chopsticks.

The boy squealed with laughter again. "Sure was, stranger! By the way, what's your name?"

Subaru stopped, chopsticks in his mouth. _Damn._ He couldn't say _Sumeragi Subaru_ – or worse – _Sakurazuka Subaru_. He slowly chewed his food and swallowed, meeting the questioning eyes of the boy uncertainly. "Hamada Kiyoshi." A spur-of-the-moment creation, that name – he had no idea where it had sprung from, but he figured he might as well go with it.

"Hmmm. That's marketable," the boy said, chewing his lip thoughtfully.

Subaru, or rather, _Kiyoshi_ raised an eyebrow at the boy's suddenly coy tone. "_Marketable_?" he repeated blandly, the word leaving a bad taste in his mouth. He furrowed his brows, wondering what the Hell the kid meant by _marketable_. His questions were answered as Kanaye reached into his shirt pocket beneath his apron and pulled out what looked like a small business card. He flipped it to Kiyoshi, who deftly caught it.

"This restaurant junk's not my main job, y'know – it's just a thing on the side I do. I'm really working on being a talented agent. Please, consider coming to that address tomorrow. I'd very much appreciate it." He rested his chin in his hands and smiled graciously.

Kiyoshi turned the card over. It was a business card that read _Yoshioka Modeling Agency, Yoshido Kanaye._ His eyes widened. "Why are you giving me this?"

Kanaye pressed his hand to his mouth to stifle his giggling. "Isn't it obvious?"

Kiyoshi frowned.

"Have you looked in a mirror lately? You're _perfect_!" Kanaye squealed.

Kiyoshi took a huge gulp of coffee and swallowed noisily. "Perfect for what?"

"Modeling! You could do it all! Hand modeling, clothes modeling, and make-up... I'm a designer on the side – I'd love to try out some of my creations on you!" There was brightness to his navy eyes, and if one looked hard, he might see yen signs blinking in the pupils. "You're so exotic looking – you'd be instantly successful! And your _eyes_…"

Kiyoshi noticed suddenly that more and more people were entering the restaurant; the breakfast crowd was arriving. A single waiter was dashing to and fro in the background, and he was consequently shooting dirty looks their way. Kiyoshi glanced back at Kanaye, who had a mischievous gleam in his eye that hauntingly echoed some of Hokuto's old ones. "Um…" He decided to change the subject. "Shouldn't you be working?" He felt waves of anger simmering in the vicinity and looked past Kanaye to find that the towering, more masculine form of the other waiter was now hovering just behind the boy.

"Yo…shi…do…" the waiter said in a deep, gruff voice – accenting each syllable by bonking his empty tray on Kanaye's head.

Kanaye seemed unaffected by the behavior of his co-worker. "Hi, Mashiro," he said in a cheery voice. He straightened his gold-framed glasses, which had been knocked crooked by the banging tray. He smiled and directed his gaze unwaveringly at Kiyoshi. "Hamada-san, this is my co-worker, Kuroki Mashiro."

Kiyoshi observed Kuroki Mashiro without expression. The young man was tall and broad with dark features. He seemed unapproachable; he might even go so far as to describe him as mean. The man was currently glaring at the little minx before him, his demeanor oozing annoyance.

Kanaye, meanwhile, had turned from innocent little boy to coy, conniving businessman. He smirked. "Mashiro-san and I are each a part of the same company – and each of us are trying to become successful agents. You," he stood from his seat with a charming, disarming smile, "are the key to _my_ success and _his_ humiliation." He bowed once and smiled yet again. "I trust you will show up tomorrow at that address. Thank you in advance."

Kiyoshi could swear that the boy's teeth glinted – the illusion was akin to a camera flash running across his smile.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do – customers to feed!" Kanaye spun around to leave but flashed one last grin over his shoulder. "It was nice eating breakfast with you, Hamada-san!" he gushed before his small, lean form disappeared behind swinging doors that led to the kitchen.

Mashiro was left in the dust, standing with what was decidedly a look of disgust on his face. He ran a hand through his black hair and scowled. He glanced at Kiyoshi, let his gaze linger for a long moment, and then turned away with what was almost a pout. "That guy," he mused. "He thinks that if he buys you breakfast, you'll eat out of the palm of his hand. What a naïve moron."

Kiyoshi watched him go with a dull expression. He blinked several times and stared back down at the decorative business card that now lay in his hands. _"How odd."_

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Subaru knew he was dreaming again. He was airborne – it was like an out-of-body experience. As he flew through the space that wasn't there, he dreamed of red rivulets streaming down a wall and a body lying forgotten in the dust. The streetlamp flickered three times and Subaru brushed his way through the shrouds of darkness. He broke through invisible threads and landed with a small _thump _on the ground. Lying before him was a blond man who was flat on his stomach. He timidly reached a hand out to touch the fallen body's shoulder.

"Sir…?" he whispered hoarsely. No response. "_Sir_!" He shook him harder and harder, his hands beginning to tremble with trepidation when the man didn't so much as twitch. He turned him over on his back. Horror-stricken, he raised his black-gloved hands to cover his mouth.

There was a gaping hole in the man's chest.

Subaru scrambled background, his back slamming into the brick wall. He couldn't control his breathing. Sweat trickled down his brow. His eyes soaked in the image in disbelief, and he choked out a small whimper. Suddenly, the air grew icy-cold, and then he really began to fear. The ground fazed away, leaving only a blank expanse of white. He trained his eyes to the space, warm breath rising up in spiraling tendrils as the temperature continued to plummet. A pair of black boots came into view. Biting his lip, Subaru forced himself to look up through the snowflakes that had just begun to fall.

It was the same figure as before. Black bangs fell to shade that delicately pale face. There were splotches of blood splattered against a soft, glowing cheek. The resulting image was tragic. The man was an almost completely black painting, with a white face barely peeking out from the madness. He was a pale moon in a black starless sky, with clouds for the shadows on his eyes. His face was indeed white, but that one glimmer of purity was soiled with a splotch of crimson.

"You," Subaru whispered, pressing back as he tried to retreat into the wall.

The falling snow thickened so much so that Subaru almost lost sight of the figure swathed in black. He shuddered and glanced back down at the dead man, transfixed as he observed the reddening snow seeping out beneath the body. He gazed back up and was perplexed when the mysterious man smiled.

But the smile didn't reach his eyes.

He raised a hand.

The body on the ground began to flake away.

The threads spun like unraveling ribbons…became sakura petals adrift in the wind.

"_I've never seen sakura petals so red."_

Subaru clutched the fabric over his heart, feeling its erratic beating against his fingertips.

The man stared impassively at him, and a strong wind blew the snowflakes into Subaru's face. In that damp mixture he felt something warm. He did not have to reach up to know that blood had splattered his face.

He cried.

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Subaru awoke with a jolt. He felt a feeling akin to electric shock race up and down his spine. Temporarily confused, he lifted his head from its warm resting place. He was sweating. Another vision, and this time it had been even more confusing. It wasn't a normal dream…that much he was certain of. He bit his lip, stomach churning in a flurry of sickness. Forcing his breathing to calm, he closed his eyes and recited the teachings of Sumeragi meditation. After a few minutes, he sighed and relaxed into the warmth of his bed, burying his face into something warm.

All his thoughts dispersed as a pair of strong, warm arms wrapped around his back.

He stopped breathing. He wasn't leaning into a bed, after all. Instead, it was a firm and lean body. His head rested against a beating chest, which was rising gently up and down in rhythm to steady breathing. In horror, he noticed that his legs were splayed intimately on either side of someone. Blushing deeply, he opened his eyes and squeaked.

Seishirou. He should have known.

He was lying on top of the older man, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully. The covers of the bed had been pulled up over the both of them. He thought back to the last thing he remembered – leaving the park in the safety of Seishirou's arms. After that, all was a complete blank except for his unnerving dream. Pushing his worry away, he sighed and allowed himself to simply gaze at the other's face. Somehow, he felt he was extremely privileged; he couldn't imagine that many others were allowed to see him so peaceful and vulnerable looking. He smiled secretly to himself.

Seishirou was kind of beautiful.

He jerked as the thought shot through his mind. Ducking his head, he halfway expected the man to wake up and laugh joyfully at his expense. But that was impossible – it wasn't as if Seishirou could read his thoughts. Besides, he was asleep. He relaxed against the older man. Seishirou was warm and undeniably comfortable. Dimly, he noted that the man's glasses were missing from his face. An instant later, he spied them carefully situated on the bedside table. Uncertainly, he wrapped his arms around Seishirou's neck, nestling his head against the man's collar. Seishirou's breath tickled the side of his face and he shivered. He felt guilty and strange and selfish.

Seishirou began to stir.

Subaru's eyes widened in panic. _"Nononono! Please, don't wake up!" _He watched with bated breath as eyes moved rapidly back and forth beneath closed eyelids. After a few minutes, much to his relief, the man beneath him relaxed again. His breathing became stable, and Subaru was sure he had returned to a state of deep slumber. He let loose a small breath of air in relief. _"Thank goodness."_

Subaru nearly choked when the arms around him suddenly tightened. He trembled uncontrollably when soft lips brushed his ear whispering, "Hello, my Subaru-kun."

He groaned. He should have known. "S-S-Sei…" he trailed off when the man nuzzled his face against his neck. He gasped. Hot breath.

_Hot breath._

Subaru felt his face heat up and writhed half-heartedly against the man. "Seishirou-san…"

Seishirou's response was to chuckle deeply, the sound vibrating against Subaru's throat. He flicked his tongue out impulsively, disregarding the fact that the young Sumeragi was very awake and very aware. Subaru's neck arched at the unexpected gesture – his throat stretching back like a swan's. So very white, but…

"Nngh…!" Subaru's eyes were shut tightly against the flow of feeling.

_But…_

"Subaru-kun…!"

Subaru opened his eyes lazily. Seishirou's tone was no longer seductive. It sounded almost…concerned. He stared into impossibly gold eyes – eyes that were narrowed and unnerved. A predatory possessiveness had come into them.

"Seishirou…san?"

Seishirou reached a hand up to brush one of Subaru's cheeks. It was warm.

"Subaru-kun, there's blood."

Subaru stared in disbelief as Seishirou's hand pulled away from his cheek, coming into his line of vision. His knuckles were bright red.

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Hokuto pranced down the street, making a beeline for the grocery store. She had stayed up all night in a constant vigilance over two people she cared and worried for the most. She had intended to make a _super-duper-huge Hokuto-chan_ _breakfast _for them, but found that they were short on breakfast supplies. She personally blamed the lack of supplies on Seishirou. His visits had been more frequent as of late and he ate like a boar. She snorted at the mental image. Somehow, he managed to pig out like a complete gentleman. She didn't really mind in the end. Besides, even if he ate a lot of food, it surely didn't show on his figure. She yawned faintly as she rapidly approached the store, high heels clicking as she walked.

She wanted to make this quick. Something about their sudden slumber – however cute it was that they were cuddled up to one another – was very, very wrong. It wasn't like either of them to conk out so early in the afternoon without reason. Well, maybe she would have expected it of Subaru…but not Seishirou. She wondered what the reason could be. Too many strange things had happened after their picnic lunch. Maybe she really had accidentally poisoned the food. Or maybe the meat had gone bad. Or maybe the combination of her choices for lunch had given them all indigestion, and it their pain they had hallucinated. In any case, it had been certainly been an unusual experience.

She walked up to shop, placed her hand on the door, and paused. Something at the back of her head was tingling. She glanced quickly up the street, eyes darting from person to person in confusion. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just when she had been mentally joking about the strange events, she started feeling weird again.

"_What's wrong with me?"_

She started as she noticed a dark figure move like liquid through the crowd. Her eyes fixated on him.

"_Why…?"_

She didn't blink – just gazed at him in a mix of confusion and slight despair. He stopped walking and leaned against a shop window with his forehead pressed against the glass. She squinted her eyes desperately, straining to see him.

"_Who is that?"_

Black garments, black gloves, black hair, and a porcelain white face. The face lifted, turning to gaze in her direction.

Two eyes. White face. Green eye. Gold eye.

Hokuto's breath caught.

"Excuse me!" a rude voice interrupted the frozen moment. Pushed time to start moving again.

Hokuto turned around to see a middle-aged woman with angry brown eyes glaring at her. The woman had a cane and a huge, sequined purse. Caught unaware, Hokuto sputtered. She noticed several others behind the woman. Most of them looked annoyed. She realized, with sudden clarity, that she was blocking the doorway.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" she said, nerves jittering. She bowed and stepped aside, allowing the customers to file inside. She took in a great gulp of air and glanced back to where the man had been leaning against a window.

He was gone.

Wildly, Hokuto searched in all directions, but the figure had disappeared.

"_Am I hallucinating again? Who was that?"_

She let out a long-suffering breath.

"_And why was he so familiar?"_

Shoulders slumping hopelessly, she entered the store. The old women kept glaring back at her. She stuck her tongue out, feeling the need to express herself boisterously after her nerves had been so deeply shaken. With a deep breath, she forced the thoughts to the back of her mind. For now, she had shopping to do.

END CHAPTER THREE.

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Disclaimer: CLAMP owns.


	5. IV Adjacency

**Illusory Tandem**

Subaru, recently called Kiyoshi, sighed as he leaned his forehead against the cold glass of the window. He had a headache--a major headache. He had no direction--no clue as of to what he was supposed to do. The sane course of action would be to seek out shelter, perhaps rent some cheap living space. Too bad he didn't have enough money for even low-rent housing. The government would not pay him in this existence for being Sakurazukamori assassin or 13th Sumeragi Head--both were filled respectively by the young Sumeragi Subaru and Sakurazuka Seishiro in 1990. So then, the obvious step would be to look for some sort of job, not that he had any real job skills. He briefly let his thoughts settle on the modeling agent's offer. Ridiculous, he grumbled. He could not imagine himself in that line of work. It was too loud, too exposed, too…_indecent_, for God's sake!

Then again, he reconsidered; he had never imagined he would take on the role of Sakurazukamori either. He frowned, some unseen force warning him to look down the street. Odd. He wasn't usually one for unprecedented hunches. Or perhaps he was, but he considered feeling spiritual forces exempt from 'gut feelings'. He stared down the street…only to find a pair of overly bright green eyes staring right back at him.

For a moment, his heart rate accelerated--something that had not transpired since the day Seishiro had died. Quickly, he regained composure. It wasn't his younger self at all--it was simply Hokuto. Hokuto, his long-dead sister. It really hit home then; he was really in 1990. Somehow, time had ripped open, and he had unwittingly traveled backward. There was Hokuto, some hundred feet away from him. Part of him would have sprinted--closed the distance and swept her up in an embrace. But, he realized coldly, that part of him had fallen away long ago--a painful death of feeling, which could never be revived. Or so he told himself over and over. He felt a lump in his throat and immediately turned his face away. A moment later, he fled--sweeping into the shopping crowd and disappearing.

Half afraid that Hokuto would pursue him, he cloaked an illusion about himself, a talent he had only recently perfected. It was very useful; he could now see why Seishiro had cashed in on its uses. In fact, there were a lot of things about Seishiro he was beginning to understand. However, there were things he knew he would never be able to grasp. _Unless…_

_/Unless…/_

He shook his head and let the unspoken thought die. Walking a few paces, he frowned. Something was nagging him. What had he overlooked? He spared a glance in either direction, wondering at the unsettling quiet of his mind. He quickly scanned his thoughts over everything that had happened to him--from the moment he heard that damned music box hit the floor in his own time. He thought of his first kill in 1990, his fake name, Kanaye and Mashiro, and finally Hokuto.

_Of course!_

Hokuto had probably recognized him.

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Subaru swung his legs slightly; they were dangling a good ways above the floor. He was seated on the countertop in the bathroom feeling strangely happy, though he couldn't quite grasp why. He recalled the events of the past few minutes. As soon as Seishiro had seen the blood, he had swept the young boy into his arms and hauled him to the bathroom. He had settled him on the countertop and immediately scoured the room for first-aid supplies. Presently, the man was on hands-and-knees, looking through one of the lower drawers of the cabinet. He gave a soft grunt of triumph as he stumbled upon some gauze and cleaning supplies. He grabbed the supplies and stood to his full height, still a little above Subaru on the counter.

He shook his head as he looked at Subaru. "Subaru-kun, I _did_ give you a washrag to press to that."

Subaru jumped, coming back into reality with a start and glancing at the untouched washrag at his side. "Um…" he started unsuccessfully, realizing he had let the blood stream down his face to dribble onto his shirt.

Seishiro snatched the cold washrag from its resting place and quickly pressed it to Subaru's face. He tutted as he set the other supplies on the counter. "Subaru-kun, what am I going to do with you? You should take care of yourself."

"But Seishiro-san, it doesn't hurt," Subaru protested. With confusion, he realized he was speaking an undeniable truth. It _didn't _hurt--not at _all_. In fact, if not for the feel of warm blood running down his face, he was skeptical to believe there was even a wound.

Seishiro combed his fingers through Subaru's feathery hair as he wiped the rag against the right side of the boy's face. There was an insane amount of blood concentrated there. He stepped closer to inspect whatever wound had caused it all. He removed the rag…and was dismayed as a new bout of fresh blood gushed forth. He couldn't see a wound--but then, there _was _a lot of blood. "Don't be silly, Subaru-kun," he admonished gently, dabbing delicately around a fine cheekbone. With all that blood, there was bound to be something painful waiting underneath.

Subaru blushed despite himself at the man's soft tone. The hand that was smoothing his hair was warm. It was terribly embarrassing but somehow terribly sweet. "S-Seishiro-san," he murmured. "It really doesn't hurt. Not at all!"

"Yes. Okay, Subaru-kun," Seishiro said absently, concentrating on his task. The man furrowed his brows. He had completely cleaned the left side of Subaru's face and no more blood was forthcoming there, but the right side still bled atrociously. The more he looked, the more he realized that the blood was, in actuality, coming from the boy's right eye. But Subaru's eye was open and working—showing no signs of discomfort despite the fact blood was pooling around the lower lid and corners. It resembled how tears formed, except it was deep red.

Subaru noticed the older man's intense gaze on his eye. "Seishiro-san?" he asked uncertainly. "What--?"

"It seems your right eye is bleeding, Subaru-kun." Seishiro could not understand for the life of him why this bothered him so much. "Did something happen?"

Subaru shrugged. "Not that I remember. All I remember is passing out and then dreaming."

Seishiro closed his eyes, thoughts settling with fury on the strange energy fluctuation that had caused him to pass out. It was quite unacceptable for Sakurazukamori to simply faint. Why, if he had been anywhere else, or with anyone else, he would have been extremely vulnerable. He hated to think if he had been in the middle of a job. But there was no trace of the gigantic energy now. Had it been a fluke, mere hallucination, or was the power currently masking itself? Perhaps, it had been one of the legendary Kamuis. He squelched that line of thought--he didn't want to deal with destiny quite yet. He wondered, though, why the energy had affected Subaru so much. After all, he was the only one between the two of them who was bleeding. He reopened his eyes, let out a frustrated breath of air, and began dressing Subaru's eye.

"Seishiro-san?" Subaru asked timidly, averting his eyes.

"Hm?" Seishiro murmured as he started wrapping strips of bandages around the affected eye.

"I'm so sorry!" Subaru cried out, bowing his head slightly.

Seishiro tilted his head in confusion. "Whatever for, Subaru-kun?"

Saying nothing, Subaru raised his gloved hand and pointed at the splotch of blood that had turned the fabric over Seishiro's chest nearly black. Seishiro's eyebrows shot up and he laughed outright. Subaru was so conscientious. Seeing the boy's hurt look on account of his innocent mirth, he stifled his chuckles. Sighing exaggeratedly, he leaned his forehead against Subaru's, noticing with satisfaction that it grew warm upon contact. He was so close that he could feel the boy's legs on either side of his waist.

"Silly, Subaru-kun," he sang. "Don't worry about me. I don't mind, after all. Your own collar is soaked as well, so Hokuto-chan will probably scold you. She's the one you should worry about."

Subaru sighed as Seishiro moved away from him. He delicately reached up and ran his fingers along the handiwork. He didn't like having to look only through his left eye. It made him dizzy. He really didn't see the point--his right eye was fine. Still, he was thankful that Seishiro was taking such good care of him. He blushed at that thought.

Seishiro smiled mildly as he watched Subaru wring his hands nervously. He was utterly adorable. He couldn't resist leaning forward and smoothing his mussed hair down--the bandage hindering it from looking anywhere close to tidy. Subaru smiled shyly and reached a hand up to rub his bandaged eye. "What's wrong, Subaru-kun?"

"Itches," Subaru pouted cutely, rubbing at it in annoyance.

Seishiro almost kissed those pouting lips.

_Almost_, that is.

Subaru swung his legs back and forth, staring avidly at the floor. "Thank you, Seishiro-san," he said quietly, eyes glimmering like polished emeralds.

Jubilantly, Seishiro gripped the boy around the waist and lifted him from the counter, bringing him close against his body before setting him safely on the ground. "It was my pleasure," he said as he winked flirtatiously.

Subaru looked dismayed as he fiddled with his blood-soaked collar. "Oh, no…I hate to say this, Seishiro-san, but…um…" he trailed off in shame.

Seishiro stared at the boy. "What?" he asked, his tone coming out somewhat flatter than he had intended.

"I-I have to take a bath!" Subaru blurted out in one breath. "And-and it's just--after you went through all that trouble!"

Seishiro shook his head. "Subaru-kun, Subaru-kun…" He rested a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about that--I'll gladly rewrap it after we're done."

Subaru, missing the older man's sly implications, nodded in gratitude. "Oh, _thank you_, Seishiro-san! I'm so sorry about this! I'll try to make it quick!"

Seishiro smirked slyly. "You're okay with that?" he asked lowly.

Subaru furrowed his brows in confusion before nodding slowly. "Why wouldn't I be? You'll be doing me a favor, after all."

Seishiro tried to hide his slightly insane smile as he began undoing the Chinese buttons of his red shirt. He did it very quickly, and within seconds had discarded his shirt on the bathroom floor.

Subaru squeaked in confusion as the shirt fell away to reveal Seishiro's bare chest. "Wha--? What are you--? S-S-sei-shi…?"

Seishiro grinned innocently as he peeked over his shoulder at Subaru. He began untying the drawstring to his pants as he said, "But Subaru-kun, you said it was okay if I bathed with you--I'll help you clean around your wound."

Subaru yelped, eyeing Seishiro's form with unrestrained panic. "Huh? W-when did I--? When did I--?" he stuttered.

Seishiro made his cutest sad face. "Why, just now, Subaru-kun. I said I'd be happy to rewrap your eye after _we're _done. And you seemed rather _excited _about it."

Subaru stared into his eyes, shocked, for a very long moment. Neither of them moved a muscle.

Seishiro decided to shatter the silence. "Ah…never mind, Subaru-kun. Me bathing with you--that'd be just _perverted_, wouldn't it?" He retrieved his shirt from the floor forlornly, watching Subaru with his peripheral vision.

Subaru's eyes widened, filling with uncertainty. "Um. That's not completely true," he whispered quietly. When Seishiro looked at him in surprise, he trembled. "Th-tha-that is--I mean, like we're both men--and um…there's public bathhouses and stuff anyway--and um...I--argh!" he shut his eyes tightly, face blazing and burning. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Bathhouses in Japan--of course there were! Stupid, stupid Subaru! Seishiro was probably thinking that he was an idiot. He opened his eyes wide when arms suddenly wrapped around him tightly from behind, a face nuzzling his jaw line. He gasped deeply.

Seishiro smiled against Subaru's skin. "Subaru-kun," he murmured deeply. "It almost sounds like you _want _me to bathe with you." He lazily flicked the Chinese buttons of Subaru's blue nightshirt open, exposing his throat and collarbone. He rubbed light circles over the exposed skin, daring the boy to speak.

Subaru shuddered as his shirt slowly slid off one shoulder and then the other. He could feel that Seishiro had not bothered to rebutton his own shirt. The man's skin was unbearably hot against his back. He felt his breathing quicken. He could swear his heart was about to leap right out of his chest. He thought back to Seishiro's words. Did he want that? Did he want Seishiro to take a bath with him?

"But, Subaru-kun," Seishiro whispered by his ear. "I'm afraid that would ruin the whole point of your _purification_, and isn't that why you bathe?"

Subaru was tempted to throw decency to the wind and scream, _I don't care_! But the rational part of his brain jumped to life. He yelped and tried to rush forward away from Seishiro--away from the burning sensation of skin on skin.

The arms around his waist tightened and held him in place--pulling him even closer to the source of heat. His shirt was completely unbuttoned then, and it drifted to the floor as if in slow motion. Long, elegant fingers danced across his stomach, mimicking the millions of fluttering butterflies inside. Subaru's lips parted--a strangled half-moan, half-sob escaping against his will. Seishiro's eyes darkened at the sound. Lightly, he stroked the boy's abdomen over the blue silk of his pants, chuckling as he writhed as if in exquisite pain. Subaru bit his lip and failed to suppress a high-pitched whimper.

Seishiro couldn't take it anymore.

He roughly spun Subaru around in his arms. The boy's face found a home, burying itself in his chest immediately. Seishiro let his hands roam up and down the boy's small, arching back. To his satisfaction, the boy's frail, shaking arms wrapped around his waist in desperation. Seishiro pressed a gentle kiss to the top of the angelic head. Was Subaru afraid? He was shaking so badly. Seishiro applied gentle pressure to get the boy to look up at him--pushing Subaru's head back and tilting his chin up so he could see his face. The green eyes were half-lidded and glistening with emotion. The cheeks were stained a deep red. Rose-colored lips were parted and panting. But Subaru's countenance communicated an aura of distress. Seishiro wasn't sure why.

Some of Seishiro's disconcertion must have showed on his face because Subaru immediately adopted an expression of worry. In a delicate attempt to restore the older man's confidence, he allowed a small upturning of his lips. The smile made Seishiro's chest do a funny thing, but he tried to ignore it--instead waving those sentiments away in favor of more instinctive feelings. He gripped Subaru's chin more tightly, pulling him closer. Subaru's wasn't tall enough; with one arm he lifted the boy off the ground, pushing their bodies up against each other in the process. Ignoring Subaru's small cry of surprise he loomed ever closer. It seemed Subaru understood his intent then, for he closed his eyes and took in a tremulous breath of air.

'BANG. CLANG. CRASH. BA'DANK.

Seishiro and Subaru jumped apart, nerves threatening to explode at the sudden racket. Subaru backpedaled, entangled his feet in his discarded shirt, and promptly crashed to the ground.

An outraged cry of "Arrrghhh!" came from the general vicinity of the kitchen.

Seishiro deadpanned. "Hokuto-chan's here." With a dramatic sigh he buttoned up his shirt and walked to the door. He paused, cast a glance back at Subaru, and grinned chipperly. "Go on with that bath, Subaru-kun. I'm afraid I can't join you _this _time, but I _will_ rewrap that eye afterward. Best hurry up because, by the sound of it, breakfast will be ready soon!"

And with a last charming, overly sunshiny smile, Seishiro closed the door. Subaru blinked, blushed, and picked himself off the floor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was running, sprinting even, and his heart was racing. He finally stopped when he reached the park, collapsing on a rickety bench. He stared blankly in front of him as an assortment of walkers rushed by. Some were exercising; others were simply walking their dogs. He saw children and adults and elders, as well as vibrantly dressed teenagers. A few times, he jerked--temporarily afraid that one of the brilliantly colored arrangements belonged to Hokuto.

Thirty minutes later, he picked his lanky body up from the bench and stood in the sunshine. It was a striking oddity somehow. Dressed so utterly in black, he felt foreign to the daytime. He didn't belong in the sunshine anymore--he wasn't so sure he ever truly did. Hokuto belonged; yes--she was a vibrant butterfly and she always had been. He was similar to her--yes, oh so similar. But he was more like a moth. Yes, a moth--drawn to the flame that existed in the form of Seishiro. Not that it really mattered anymore.

He lit a cigarette and plucked the card Kanaye had given him from his breast pocket. There was no denying it--it would have to be done. Especially if things were to go as he wanted them to. It would be a tricky plan for sure, but it could be the chance of a lifetime. He needed to be different. He needed to _be _Hamada Kiyoshi--the man with the _marketable _name and appearance. Besides, it would give him an inconspicuous source of income. And he certainly needed that. He had to become a neutral citizen, unworthy of suspicion.

And it couldn't wait another second.

Destiny was cruel, and if he gave her the chance, he was sure she would somehow cross his path with the Subaru, Seishiro, and Hokuto of this time period.

He couldn't allow that--at least, _not yet_. That brief time with Hokuto had been dangerous--_too dangerous_. Gathering his resolve, Subaru began to walk quickly down the street with long, graceful strides. He smiled grimly as the restaurant he had eaten breakfast at that morning came into view. He shuffled in through the door and patiently waited in an empty booth for a glimpse of the boy Kanaye or his friend Mashiro. He didn't have to wait long. As soon a Kanaye caught sight of him, he rushed over. Mashiro followed silently behind, his eyes closed off and wary of the stranger.

"Hey, there, Hamada-saaaaan!" Kanaye shrieked in delight, jumping into the seat across from him. "You got here at a good time--I'm on my break right now!" His mischievous eyes shifted to Mashiro. "Heeey, waiter! Take our orders!" he said devilishly.

Mashiro seemed nonplussed at the comment. Whether he was eternally vexed at Kanaye or he didn't like being ordered around, Kiyoshi did not know. He decided to break in before a fight escalated between the two.

"I'll do it for you," he said bluntly, voice flat and emotionless.

Kanaye turned his attention back to Kiyoshi so fast, he swore he hear the kid's neck pop. "Wh-WHAT!" he shouted, leaning forward.

Kiyoshi, in turn, leaned backward, away from those big, annoying eyes. "I'll model for you, I mean. I thought it over."

Kanaye's jaw dropped open and his navy eyes glazed over in what appeared to be supreme bliss. Absently, he began shredding a napkin. "Really? Wow. I'm so honored to be your agent! I can't believe how lucky I am! Soon, the money will be rolling in!"

Kiyoshi inclined his head a little to the side, a little disturbed by Kanaye's energy. "There is one condition," he added softly.

The peace was interrupted as Mashiro roughly shoved Kanaye over and climbed into the seat beside him. "Move," was all he said. Kanaya hardly reacted to the action, as if he were used to being thrown around by the older, larger boy. Mashiro's eyes fixated on Kiysohi, but he didn't say anything.

"Weeell?" Kanaye prodded. "What's the condition? I'm sure no order is too tall!" He laughed nervously, fiddling with his long, golden hair.

"I want you to change me," Kiyoshi said seriously, eyes boring into the companions across from him.

"_Change me."_

I don't want to be Subaru anymore. 

END CHAPTER FOUR.

* * *

_Theme Song for This Chapter:  
__"Butterfly's Sleep" by L'ArcenCiel (Laruku)_

* * *

Hello all! This chapter feels weird. Oh, well--transitional phases often do, don't they? Still with me? I certainly hope so. Still interesting? I hope that, too. Here's the wave of rights again. You all know TB/X belongs to CLAMP! Don't pretend you don't know. I only own Yoshido Kanaye and Kuroki Mashiro. Subaru, ahem or actually _Kiyoshi_ really kicks off his agenda next chapter. I'm looking forward to it, aren't you? Bad Hamada-san! Bad! On another note, I really wish Seishiro would stop writing himself as a naughty man, but he won't stop! He even got a bit carried away in this chapter! (despairs) Maa, maa…. I'm sure you all don't mind.

Reviews! Reviews! You guys are still as wonderful as you were in the beginning! Thank you!

**Ghost Whisper**--Yes, poor, poor Subaru-san… I feel sorry for anyone within a three feet radius of Kanaye-kun. And Subaru's charm is in his solemnity--at least, it is for the older one. (giggles) Anyway, thanks for complimenting the writing. I love when you review--you always say the nicest and most constructive things! 3

**Tatsumaki**--Cuteness, rationality, and insanity—that's the secret recipe for beauty, isn't it? We should put it in a cookbook. And don't you worry your head, older!Subaru can only get crazier, even if he seems calmer. And I have plenty in store. Effects of Time, Subaru-kun's and (henceforth I will refer to older!Subaru as Hamada-san) Hamada-san's ailments, and, of course, Seishiro's reaction to someone moving in on his territory!

**Bitter-green tea**—What a match, indeed! Can you imagine it? (goes into temporary bliss for thirty seconds…) ahem Anyway, don't worry—your weirdness doesn't freak anyone out. Least of all me. I feel like I've found a kindred spirit. (cough-meaning we're both weird) What? Cliffhangers? Are you talking about me? I don't ever leave any cliffhangers, do I? (smirks mischievously)

**Hiruka-chan**—The X Character file explicably states that he met his mother as a young nine-year-old boy, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that he was raised in Kanazawa by outside help/clan supporters. It doesn't say that he is not her son. It could be interpreted that way, but it could also be read another way. It could be interpreted as if he was a wandering orphan picked up by an insane woman to be heir to the clan. However, given Seishiro's abilities, it is also a possibility that Setsuka had a child in Kanazawa, left him in the care of others to perform her duties, and met with him again to begin his extensive training. As for me, I take a weird perspective. I like spice and irony and interesting family history. So I've embellished the possibility that Seishiro was her real son, that she was young-looking by fault of the sakura tree or illusion. I completely and totally made up the bit about Seishiro's 'father' being Sakurazukamori before Setsuka--and that she killed 'him' to inherit the title. Why? Because I'm psycho!  
_For the rest of you, here's a link to the full English translations of Seishiro's Character File---remember to put that http and www in front like always._ Man, I love getting around the no URL rule. for the red moon…yep, I've read Revelations, and what a chilling part of the Bible it is! (Brrr.) My grandparents freaked out the other night that we had the lunar eclipse because the moon looked red. Silly old people. Thanks for prompting such interesting, discussion, Hiruka-chan! And thanks so much for reviewing! (huggles)

**Sakanagi**--Are you really a sakanagi! (panics and hides) No! It's come to get me for my illegal spells! Just kidding! Thanks for the kind words! I hope the characters don't go too off track! I'd hate to disappoint you! Please, let me know how I'm doing as I go along!

**Sakurazuka-chan**--WhEE! DevArt buddy! (dances) Hey, the hyper waiter is Kanaye-kun. Overzealous. Kanaye. But he's a lot more mischievous and smarter than Keiichi, if you must know. He's closer to Hokuto's personality when you get down to it. And, eventually, we will get down to it, I hope. You'd better get your own butt to writing (ahems) for me! LOL! You know I'm kidding. I'd never pressure you.

**Tenshiamada**--(blushes) Gosh, thank you! I can't believe you added my story to your favorites! (bows to you Suabru-kun style) Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

**Tekoo**--(smiles) Yay! I feel special! I have a nice way of thinking, you say? I thought it was rather…naughty! (giggles) Anyway, in other news… We must vanquish the evil foes together! (waves her magic wand and evil textbooks and school projects spontaneously combust) Mission accomplished. Oh, and don't worry about being late--I'm the world's worst when it comes to punctuality anyway.

**Chibis Unleashed**--(blink, blink) Your laughter scared me at first, but then I realized what you were laughing about. Yay! Awesome is a great adjective! Yay! Yay! (Boy, I'm losing inspiration in the face of such a nice review…) I'm glad you liked it enough to stretch it out across the day. Heh-heh. So, are you saying your face was worthy of a Kodak Moment? It probably was. Thanks for leaving such a wonderful review! I hope you review again! (waves)

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next chapter: "Hey Sei-chan, you look awful scary right now. And Subaru, why are you shivering--are you cold?"_


	6. V Reflection

**Illusory Tandem **

Hokuto hovered over a steaming pot of rice, flitting busily to various parts of the kitchen to gather cooking supplies and ingredients every few seconds. She was a stereotypical bundle of energy at least at first glance. Seishiro, however, didn't buy the act. He noticed the little things--the nervous shake to her hands and the unnatural crease of her eyebrows. This fidgety behavior was very commonplace when Subaru's health was in question, an event that happened too often to be considered rare. The small girl was making a lot of noise and, given the current situation, it was a signal that she was trying to cover up the unsettling quietness and sense of fear that had crept into the apartment.

She wasn't alone in her uneasiness. Even Seishiro was unusually tense, and that was saying something. On contemplation, he realized that his state of mind had showed. He had kept a very long, loose leash on his control when it came to Subaru that morning. At times, he figured he had actually gone a bit far in his advances. Oh well, it was the effect of nerves not being calmed. It happened when he was denied his precious cigarettes. Subaru had acted a little peculiarly too, he remembered--not showing an impressive resistance to Seishiro's advances. Rather, he had instead swooned as if entranced--giving innocent nudges of encouragement. It was certainly worth exploration, Seishiro thought devilishly. However, the time and mood was certainly not at the moment--especially with two upset Sumeragi twins to deal with. He padded silently across the room to the kitchen bar, taking a seat on a barstool.

"Anything I can help with?" he asked politely.

Hokuto jumped. She scowled as she caught sight of the smiling Seishiro. "SEI-CHAAAN!" she shrieked, thwacking an empty milk carton over his head. "Don't _do_ that! Sneaking up on people is _bad_!"

Seishiro threw his head back and laughed delightedly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

_/I will become truly dead if I become someone else./_

Subaru was afraid to open his eyes. Half turning to the mirror, he took a deep breath. He felt Kanaye sweep a comb through his hair one last time.

"This is the best I could do," he heard Kanaye cluck. "You look great, though! I just wish we could have left both eyes in plain sight."

Subaru, no…_Kiyoshi_, opened his eyes slowly, eyelids sliding silkily upward. He gasped as his image came into focus and reached out to brush his fingertips against the mirror. He didn't look like himself. His hair was cut in layers that Hokuto would have called fashionable. The bangs were long and slick, coming down low on the left side to hide his one emerald eye. The golden one, meanwhile, steadily glared at him from his reflection in the mirror. It was that, more than anything, which made him look different. The softer emerald eye was covered, leaving only the gold to be seen. It made him look strangely…_dangerous_.

Kanaye, however, was pouting. "I wish we could let both eyes be seen--it's so _exotic_ to have two different colors!" He sighed and set his scissors on the vanity, dusting the bits of dark raven hair from his apron. "You like the burgundy, Hamada-san?"

It took Kiyoshi a moment to register the question. He still wasn't used to being called by a different name. Blinking, he noted the varying streaks of burgundy and red gracing his once completely jet-black locks. He nodded calmly in response to Kanaye, turning his head to the side slightly to view his hair more easily. He felt a little vain observing himself in the mirror. At the Sakurazuka estate, he had smashed all the mirrors upon arriving; at the time, he had been stricken with self-hate. The only ones he hadn't smashed were mirrors that had met an unfortunate end long before his appearance. He wondered if Seishiro had been the one to do it.

_Seishiro-san…_

"Hey, Hamada-san! I just thought," Kanaye started, smiling. "We could always sweep your bangs back like this," he lurched forward and buried his small fingers in Kiyoshi's hair, "for different pictures. We could make the _surprise eye_ work to our advantage!"

Kiyoshi fought back a mocking bark of laughter at the term '_surprise eye'--_it made him sound like some sort of freak.

Kanaye pranced over to a bookshelf full of magazines and pulled several off. Then, spinning, he changed direction and headed for his large, pillow-laden couch. It looked more like a miniature bed, half-pallet. Whatever it was, it looked expensive. It was a velvety maroon color with gold tassels adorning the edges. In fact, Kanaye's whole apartment seemed as if it had sprung from a high-dollar fashion magazine. There were long painted panels on the walls, both funky and traditional murals, a tiled kitchen area, and a small fashion boutique that included its very own vanity and hair salon/manicure station. It was certainly…lively. Animal prints, vertical lines, flowers, lace, vintage fray, impressionistic paintings, abstract art, old photograph collages, old-fashioned styles, modern styles, blacks and whites, brilliant oranges, furry fabrics, slick materials, smooth mats--and somehow that menagerie seemed well strung together.

"Lets see... Nope, doesn't suit you. How about--_nah_, too dark. And this is all right, but I can certainly make that myself." Kanaye was flipping through the magazines at a rapid pace. He sighed and threw them one by one to the floor as he finished in a timely fashion that was quick enough to enter the pages of Guinness. "No! No! No! I'll just have to custom-design your clothing! Nothing else will do!"

Kiyoshi cringed, his mind calling up images of Hokuto's assortments he had been forced to wear in his youth. His distaste must have shown on his face because Kanaye was on his feet in three seconds flat.

"Oh, don't worry, Hamada-san! What I make for you will be top of the line fashion!" he winked mischievously. Like a flitting bee, he whirled away--running to his closet and withdrawing a long navy yukata. He returned a split-second later, extending the garment to Kiyoshi. "Go ahead and take a shower. We'll measure you when you get out, okay?" The navy eyes sparkled. "I just know you'll be a hit!"

Kiyoshi nodded numbly, letting the smaller boy point him in the direction of the bathroom. He desperately needed to bathe. The closest thing he had had to a true bath had been a dip in Tokyo's filthy waters--just to rid himself of the blood. He reached the bathroom in a matter of seconds.

Kanaye waved goodbye. "I'll be on the couch brainstorming for your new look!" he informed cheerily.

Kiyoshi groaned as the boy disappeared fro view. Shutting the door silently, he walked over to the shower and turned it on full-blast. Shrugging out of his sticky, black garments, he stepped under the faucet. The temperature was scalding-hot, but he didn't care. The spray of water was both Heaven and Hell. Just like life.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru stepped out of the shower, sighing as he realized how much steam had filled the room. The humidity made it hard for him to breathe. Walking over to the counter, he scooped up the clothes he had picked out for the day--a white blouse with red-and-black trim around the collar and cuffs as well as a pair of soft, black pants. He sighed for the umpteenth time, absently raising a gloveless hand to caress the now-thoroughly soaked bandage wrapping his eye. Glancing into the mirror, he noticed that a gentle smile had appeared on his face without him knowing. His cheeks were pink as well, and he knew that it was not merely from the hot shower. Unbidden, memories of Seishiro flooded his mind.

There were memories of Seishiro's hands, his smile, his bare chest, his fingers toying with the buttons of his shirt, and his lips. Subaru eeped and brought his bare hands up to his hot cheeks. He should have been embarrassed or horrified or _something_. His blush deepened. Instead of feeling shameful or cheap, he felt elated. But it was wrong, right? Or was it? How could something so wonderful possibly be wrong? He had never ever _ever_ been touched in such a way. It felt nice, in retrospect. His brain had shut down, refused to keep working. He had always looked at such behavior with a sort of detached embarrassment and even disapproval. Before, he had refused to even consider something so...so..._sexual_. Oh! There mere word ripping through his mind made him want to hide away. Suddenly, reality came crashing down--the full effect of what he and Seishiro had been doing hitting him full-force. Did this mean that they were actually in a...a..._a_...

..._relationship_?

Subaru squeaked. Perhaps he could fit in the bathroom cabinet and never come out again. But that would be ridiculous. Even if he managed to hide from Seishiro, Hokuto would surely find him. She always knew his best hiding places, ever since they were small. _Hokuto_! Oh, no! What if Seishiro told her about their encounter? But he wouldn't--_would he_? What if he hadn't been serious, after all? What if it had been some sort of joke? _Oh, God!_ What if he was telling Hokuto right at that very moment! Subaru wanted to faint. He wanted to melt into the bathroom tile and never be seen again.

He gripped the bathroom counter for support. His knees were feeling quite weak all of a sudden. He looked up into the mirror, but he couldn't see because it had fogged up due to the combination of wetness and heat. With two hands, he rubbed the fog away to reveal one round, green eye staring back at him. Subaru placed his warm fingertips over the soft, wet fabric over his right eye. It didn't hurt and there was no longer any blood present. He felt a pang of loss. If it were indeed all right, then there would no longer be any need for Seishiro to wrap it. His heart thudded slightly in his chest at the memory of strong, warm hands wrapping the bandage around and around. With his own pale, quivering hands, he began to unwrap it. Strip by strip the off-white bandage came away.

Moments later, two green eyes were staring back at him in the mirror. He looked deeply into their wide, green depths. His eye wasn't hurt at all. There was no trace of an injury or irritation. _Strange_. But he knew it had bled. _Why had it bled?_ It couldn't have been the effect of a sakanagi. He licked his lips, feeling the chapped texture of the bottom one. The recent events made him nervous. In truth, they made him more than nervous; somehow, it downright terrified him. For instance, what had caused him (and Seishiro for that matter) to pass out? What was the meaning of the vision he had received? He shuddered lightly at the thought.

_Why was this all so vivid?_

And suddenly he was nauseated. He stumbled forward, leaning heavily on the countertop again for support. The humidity didn't help his feeling of illness. The steam caressed hi already-too hot face with mocking tendrils.

_What was happening now?_

He glanced up into the mirror once more. The bathroom seemed to fill with even more steam, and the mirror's surface seemed to roll back--moving like waves on ocean water. He felt his stomach lurch violently again. The feeling was identical to seasickness. He leaned his head forward, face mere inches from the glass. And--and...

The reflection staring back at him was...

He drew in a deep breath. _Oh, my God._ Instead of a normal reflection of two inquisitive green eyes, there was an amber one glaring back at him. An older man looked in on him, dark red-and-black hair dripping wet. The face was enraged. Subaru tried to cry out, but his throat had gone dry.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi growled deep in his throat. He had stepped out of the shower and started forward to stare in the mirror. At first, he had seen his own amber eye staring back at him (the emerald one was covered by long bangs)--but that had rapidly changed. The mirror now revealed, much to his disgust, a vision of his younger self with green eyes wide with fear.

_Subaru. _

_Sumeragi Subaru._

He suddenly remembered why he hated mirrors. He saw himself in his mind--hand protruding grotesquely from Seishiro's body. He didn't want to see that. He didn't ever want to see that again. He hated that self--the one that had brought the hand of death down upon Seishiro. Snapping back to reality, he sent an icy glare at the mirror. Always. Always, he saw so many faces in the mirror--himself, Seishiro, Hokuto… He just wanted to be left alone; his mind was damaged enough! With a roar he brought his hands back...

(..._hands that were missing Sakurazukamori's mark_...)

_WHAM. CRASH. TINKLE. _

The glass fell like shattered jewels.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru let out an inaudible cry as the mirror suddenly exploded, raining glass everywhere. He felt a sharp pain as something in his right eye shuddered. Two seconds later, he felt warm blood oozing down his face. He was afraid. That angry reflection had been filled with loathing, and that immense hate had been directed at him. He was getting tired of the constant, unsettling visions. What did they mean? The glass was broken. How? _How?_

His legs tired out on him and he fell backward, hitting his head hard on the cold, bathroom floor. He gave a small yelp then. There was real _pain_ in his eye this time. There was a burning heat behind it, as if it would fizzle and turn to ashes at any given moment. It was an overdone horror picture. Oh! but he was afraid. He couldn't move his limbs. He was paralyzed. He was confused. He was trembling. He was drowning. He cried out in pain. He wanted...

_He wanted Seishiro-san_.

Subaru blinked, slowly bringing a hand up to press against his bleeding eye…and then he was screaming.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hokuto stopped mid-laugh. Gasping deeply, she dropped the bowl of rice she had been preparing. A voice was screaming and it was coming from the bathroom. "SUBARU!" She tore away from the kitchen--taking long, leaping strides toward the bathroom. She winced at the raw, pitiful sound she heard. Subaru was in trouble again! Her heart couldn't take this much longer--was Subaru all right?

Seishiro was ahead of her. It seemed the older man had heard it too, and he was just as agitated. They reached the locked door together. They could still hear Subaru screaming on the other side.

Hokuto rushed forward and jiggled the locked door. When it wouldn't open, she flat-out pounded on the door. "Subaru! _Subaruuuu_! Can you hear me! Open this door!"

The screaming continued, growing more hoarse by the second.

"Subaruuu!" Hokuto cried in distress, her voice joining Subaru's in a high-pitched wail.

Seishiro's eyes darkened. He grabbed Hokuto's shoulders and pulled her back away from the door. "Get back." He ignored her infuriated look and pummeled forward. The door wouldn't budge. He slammed his shoulders against it repeatedly, but it didn't move. Desperate, he mumbled a low, inconspicuous spell and the door swung open. He took in a deep breath as he peered into the room. Subaru was on the floor. He was writhing, screaming, and bleeding. Only...he wasn't dressed and his hands were free from his gloves. The pentagram-scars were in plain view. He stepped in and roughly shut the door behind him, conveniently leaving Hokuto on the outside. He locked the door without a second thought. He could hear Hokuto cry out in rage and resume her incessant pounding on the door, but he didn't care. He stumbled forward to Subaru. Confused, he knelt by the frantic boy, instantly reaching out to touch his brow.

There was glass everywhere. He glanced up and furrowed his brows at the state of the mirror. _What the Hell?_ He grabbed Subaru's hands, searching for any trace of blood. Finding none, he found it hard to believe that Subaru had smashed the mirror. He leaned over the boy, smoothing down his sweat-soaked hair.

"Subaru-kun," he cooed softly. "Shhh. It's all right."

Subaru blinked blearily, screams dying off to small whimpers. "Sei...Seishiro-san?" he croaked pitifully. He blushed at the sight of the older man, fears evaporating like mist. He felt warm inside. Seishiro gripped his hands possessively. With a start, Subaru noticed that he was bereft of his usual gloves. At first, his mind bucked in all-out panic. His grandmother had warned him--she had warned him never to show his hands to anyone. And yet…this was Seishiro-san. That reason seemed enough to satisfy whatever standard his mind had set. He knew he was rationalizing, but he had never felt the man's hands with his gloves off. There was a tiny part of his consciousness that had always wished for it. They were softer than he had expected them to be. He sighed in contentment.

Seishiro noticed how calm the boy had become, a fact he was reluctant to admit pleased him. "Subaru-kun," he murmured softly. "Are you all right?"

Subaru nodded, entranced.

Seishiro mustered up a gentle smile and reached over inside the cabinet. As much as he was enjoying the situation, decency was something the boy valued. He withdrew a large towel. He let his eyes rove up and down Subaru's body lustfully before wrapping him in it lovingly. The cloth hadn't offered much of a barrier between them. Staring at Subaru's freshly bleeding eye, he scowled. That little injury was really starting to annoy him. What right did it have to blemish Subaru's face like that? He pulled the damp boy against him, reaching cautiously for the bandaging supplies on top of the counter. Regardless of what was causing the bleeding, Subaru's eye needed to be wrapped again.

From outside, a loud voice continued to yell. "SEI-CHAAAAN! What's going on!" Hokuto screamed at the top of her lungs.

Seishiro winced. God, that girl could shatter glass. "Subaru-kun, would you mind telling your sister that you're quite all right?"

Subaru blinked, startled. He had been lulled in a drowsy state, barely aware of his surroundings. Hokuto's voice jolted him from his content reverie. He leaned forward toward the door, swaying away from Seishiro. Raising his voice, he called out to his sister. "Um…Hokuto-chan, I'm fine! Don't worry. It's just...well...a...a particularly violent sakanagi! That's all! Seishiro-san is helping me."

"Mou! Subaru!" he heard her reply after a brief silence. "You scared the daylights out of me! Don't ever do that again! Hmph! And you'd both better come out soon 'cause breakfast is ready!" She sounded both reluctant to leave and highly upset as her footsteps thumped loudly, leaving towards the direction of the kitchen.

Subaru winced. "She sure sounded unhappy," he whispered, eyes saddening at the thought that his twin might be angry with him. He yelped quietly when two warm arms pulled him back against a warm chest. All thoughts of Hokuto disappeared. His back was to Seishiro's chest--he could feel the older man's heart beating. His adrenaline surged and his face easily glowed a brilliant shade of red. "S-S-Sei...shiro-san," he whimpered desperately. In a whirl, the memories of what had happened to him rushed back--the unfamiliar face in the mirror, the anger, the hate, and the attack. The comfort the man provided had unleashed all the emotions. All the vulnerability and the horror slammed into him at once and he cried out pitiably. He spun around to face the man and clung to him--throwing his arms about Seishiro's neck desperately. He knew it was ridiculous and childish, but he couldn't help himself.

Seishiro's eyes widened as the small, warm body pressed close to him. His back was pressed against the cabinet and Subaru was in between his legs. He sucked in a tense breath. "What is it, Subaru-kun?" he forced out in a voice that was near calm.

Subaru didn't reply--he just shook his head back and forth unhappily, apparently unable to voice his fears. His breathing was ragged against Seishiro's collarbone. "Seishiro-san," he whispered forlornly. "_Seishiro-san_..."

Seishiro furrowed his brows. Something was wrong. This was the third time something strange had transpired, and what was more--Seishiro had nothing to do with it and no idea what was causing it. That fact unnerved him in more ways than one. Subaru obviously had no idea what was happening either--something that ruffled him more than he would ever admit. If the respective heads of Sakurazuka and Sumeragi were baffled, then what on earth could it be? His musinds were silenced as wet tears and warm blood dripped onto his clavicle. Investigation, he decided, would have to wait until later. His Subaru-kun needed to be tended to first. He wrapped one arm around the boy, pulling him even closer. Lifting the boy's chin, he peered into his eyes. "Let's get that eye wrapped as I promised," he purred softly.

Subaru averted his eyes in embarrassment but nodded silently. He blushed Seishiro's hand caressed the damp skin on his back. "Seishiro-san," he mumbled timidly, barely audible. He was shocked when brain nearly shut down in disappointment when the hand left his back and came up to help the other rewrap his eye. Without his permission, a little moan of frustration crept past his lips. He felt Seishiro's legs tighten on his sides. Subaru's heart rate sped up dramatically and his breathing was coming in rasps. _"Oh, no!"_ he thought. _"My breathing--he'll hear me! What'll he think?"_ Desperately, Subaru fought to calm down and regain his composure.

Seishiro, who had just finished wrapping the injured eye, was battling to keep his own composure. He was not used to losing control, even if the loss was relatively miniscule. He blamed the dilemma on instinctual feelings. Yes, that must have been it. Subaru was leaning heavily against him, after all. It also didn't help that he had just showered, so he smelled delicious. Plus, the boy was only wearing a thin, damp towel. Who could have blamed Seishiro for feeling like an animal? He felt his legs tighten even more around Subaru, heard Subaru's sharp intake of breath. He smiled and reached up to grab the boy's hands--_naked_ hands. Intoxicating. Long, delicate fingers begged to be kissed. Seishiro breathed against them and ran his fingers along the scars on the backs of his hands.

_Possessive markings...inverted pentagrams...  
_  
Subaru gasped, perhaps reconsidering his decision to allow this to go on. How disobedient he was being--breaking his grandmother's rules and allowing his hands to be seen by another living person. But this was Seishiro-san, he reminded himself. Seishiro was Seishiro, and somehow that made it okay. He noticed the older man's hungry gaze on his scars and felt inexplicably embarrassed. Not even Hokuto knew about his markings. He blushed and tried to tug his hands away.

Seishiro held on tightly and planted two soft kisses on each hand. He let go of Subaru's right hand and cupped Subaru's cheek. Subaru guiltily looked into the older man's warm, brown-gold eyes. "Subaru-kun..." Seishiro murmured, leaning closer--his eyes glazed with lust. "I..._I_..."

_"Oh, my God. He's going to…"_ The man's soft lips loomed ever closer. One arm had snaked possessively around Subaru's towel-wrapped waist and one hand was tilting his chin upward. Those gold eyes were so intense. Seishiro's eyes were narrow, and his lips were parted as he tilted his head slightly to the side. His breathing was harsh and desperate and Subaru could feel it on his lips.

_"He's going to k-kiss…"_ Subaru's eyes drifted shut as he sighed softly.

"SEI-CHAN!" Hokuto called warningly from outside the door, shattering the moment. "What the _Hell_ is taking so long!"

The moment was broken. Seishiro stiffened, raising his voice in annoyance. "Hokuto-chan--that's hardly language a lady such as yourself should use!"

The raw, intense expression on Seishiro's face was replaced by a vacant, smiling mask. Instinctively, Subaru reached out to grasp it--willing the real face to come back. Seishiro's eyes widened in surprise as the silky, soft hands groped around his cheeks and eyes and then threaded through his hair in desperation. He literally purred at the action, closing his eyes in bliss. Unexpected luxury.

Subaru's eyes widened at the reaction his motions had inspired. He blushed a deep red, fascinated as Seishiro moved his head languidly against his hands. It felt exquisite to experience such feelings with his sensitive fingertips. He had kept them covered since he was young--since the day his grandmother had ordered it with that stern look barely masking terror. Since then, his hands had been hidden from the world. He had been isolated as well. He had always dreamed of being free if restraints like this. He gasped, the emotions within him threatening to spill out in the form of tears.

Seishiro opened his eyes lazily and was face to face with one bandaged eye and one bright green one. The green eye was burning brightly, like expensively cut emerald. But to his disappointment, that eye also swam with liquid, spilling over with tears within seconds. For some reason he could not understand, the sight made his heart freeze up--made it cease its erratic beating for a split second. "Oh, Subaru-kun," he said as he heaved a deep sigh. Resisting the urge to taste the boy's salty, crystalline tears, he stiffly brought a hand up to wipe them away. "Don't cry," he murmured, resting his chin atop the boy's head. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Subaru gasped, opening his eyes wide in embarrassment. "I," he choked. "I didn't mean to cry! _I_...y_ou_...!"

"Now, now, Subaru-kun," Seishiro said quietly, wrapping his arms around the trembling boy. "It's not your fault--it's mine. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No," Subaru whispered. "_No_, it's just that..." He lifted his head, fixating tearful eyes on the man in front of him. "It's just that you…"

_You are so beautiful, Seishiro-san...so beautiful it hurts..._

_/Beautiful.../_

_I think I'm falling... _

Falling...like the many sakura petals...

...in...

...with you...

/You.../

"You GUYS! Breakfast is getting cold!" Hokuto screeched, stomping her foot in frustration. "And if you don't come out, I'm breaking that door _down_!"

Seishiro growled deep in his throat, tightening his hold on Subaru's form. He didn't want to move. Subaru, was warm and soft against him. He didn't want to see or talk to anyone else. He wanted to stay with Subaru, if only for a little while. Seishiro was a possessive bastard, after all. He chuckled deeply, nuzzling the boy's neck. Hokuto would just have to wait a little while--he had to at least get the boy dressed. It wouldn't do for him to carry him out naked. What would Hokuto think then? He reached back and groped the countertop for Subaru's clothes. Grasping fabric, he pulled down a white blouse with red-and-black trim around the collar and cuffs. A pair of soft, black pants fell on his head.

"Hold on just a minute, Hokuto-chan!" Seishiro forced himself to call out cheerfully. "Almost done in here!"

"What are you two doing?" the girl snickered naughtily. "_Playing_?"

Subaru, catching her meaning for once, yelped in panic. "_No_!"

Seishiro laughed loudly. "How I _wish_, dear Hokuto-chan. Alas, I'm merely wrapping Subaru-kun's wounded eye."

Subaru blushed. Seishiro was covering up for him? He never thought he'd live to see the day the older man didn't take advantage of a teasing opportunity. He nearly choked when said man began wrestling an off-white shirt around his arms.

Hokuto was silent for several long moments. "_Wrapping his eye_?" she enunciated slowly, voice dangerously low.

"You'll see when you get out, Hokuto-chan," Subaru called out shakily, fearful of his sister's reaction. "It's really nothing--just a side-effect of that sakanagi. The mirror's broken too, but other than that, everything's _fine_!"

Seishiro smirked as he held up the pants. He waggled his eyebrows. Subaru frowned at him and snatched the black pants and underwear from his grasp. He tried to get to his feet quickly but was hindered by Seishiro's playful interference. He scowled when he finally managed to get to his feet, keeping a firm grip on his rumpled towel. "Seishiro-san," he growled warningly. His expression clearly said '_Turn around and don't you dare peek'_.

Seishiro smiled mischievously, shrugged nonchalantly, and turned his back on the blushing boy. "You're so _cute_, Subaru-kun," he chuckled aloud.

Subaru made a whining noise and pulled on the rest of his clothes as fast as he could, fearful that the man would sneak a glimpse just to fluster him. "You can look now," he said after he finished.

Seishiro turned and smirked. He eyed Subaru up and down, eyes lingering on parts that caused Subaru's cheeks to flame. He purred and licked his lips in a most unnerving way.

"Seishiro-_saan_!" Subaru complained loudly, reaching for a nonexistent hat out of habit.

Seishiro shrugged with a cheery smile. "Well, you said I could _look now_, you know."

"Seishiro-san!" Subaru said with a huff.

Seishiro laughed, looped an arm around Subaru's shoulders, and steered him towards the door. "Never mind that. It's finally time for breakfast, Subaru-kun!" Swinging the door open, they were met with a very angry-looking Hokuto. She was tapping her foot impatiently. Both brushed past her, Seishiro laughing and Subaru sputtering.

"Hey! Wait up, you two!" she squealed as they plopped down at the breakfast bar. "SUBARU! SEI-CHAN!" Both were too busy making a point to stuff their mouths full of food to answer her. She stared at each face with suspicion. "_Fine_. I see how it is. You don't _want_ to talk to me!"

Seishiro swallowed noisily and shot the elder Sumeragi twin an air-headed smile. "That is surely not the case, Hokuto-chan. We're merely hungry, aren't we Subaru-kun?"

Subaru nodded forcefully, nearly choking on his food.

Hokuto stared at them for a moment, her expression softening. "Okay. I understand. With that 'passing out act' earlier, you both must be depleted of energy, huh? What was up with that anyway? Somehow, I don't think you two were merely enjoying a peaceful afternoon nap. It was strange." She folded her hands in her lap uneasily, her mind rebelliously calling up the image of the stranger she had seen in town. She shook her head, trying to banish the memory.

Subaru put down the toast he had been munching on and sighed.

"And Subaru! Your _eye_! What on earth happened!" she added forcefully, slamming her hands palm-down on the counter surface.

"H-Hokuto-chan!" Subaru gasped. "Calm down. This is nothing." He rested his hand against the bandage.

"Nothing? _Nothing_! Sumeragi Subaru, don't you lie to _me_!" she exclaimed, shaking her finger at him. "And _you_!" She turned on Seishiro. "Taking up for him--don't you know how dangerous it is to allow this type of self-negligence?"

Seishiro calmly took a sip of tea. "Yes, I do--and that is exactly why I've not let Subaru-kun out of my sight." He flashed a serious, possessive look Subaru's way--one that clearly meant that, even though the comment was presented in a light-hearted manner, he was totally serious.

"Hey Sei-chan, you look awful scary right now. And Subaru, why are you shivering--are you cold?" Hokuto asked in a playfully not-too-innocent way. She grinned. "Did something happen between you two in the bathroom?"

Subaru choked for real this time. Hokuto leaned over and thumped her brother on the back. "Good _grief_, Subaru--you're sure giving us a lot of trouble lately! It was just a joke!"

Subaru blushed and stared down at his hands. "Hokuto-chan," he whispered dejectedly. "That's not funny."

Hokuto exhaled exasperatedly, noticing that she had hurt her younger twin brother's feelings. He seemed unusually touchy today. "I'm sorry Subaru." She wrapped her arms around him protectively. "I'm just worried is all." She plastered a kiss atop his head where his hair was still damp.

Subaru smiled sheepishly. "I know, Hokuto-chan." He glanced at his sister lovingly, and then swiveled his view to Seishiro, who was happily munching on the toast he had discarded.

_And I'm afraid… Afraid for all of us._

END CHAPTER FIVE.

* * *

_Theme Song for this Chapter:  
"Butterflies and Hurricanes" by Muse_

* * *

Hello, readers! Did you like this chapter? It didn't go exactly as I had planned. Certain (ahem) scenes dragged out. We'll see more of older!Subaru next chapter. As for his new image, 'twas inspired by a Japanese artist. I don't remember who it was. I was on a band site (Laruku, Gackt, etc) and saw a cute, delicate-looking Jaanese guy with red-streaked hair in that style. 'Twas cute and the image stuck. Wish I could remember who it was. Oh, well. And if you're freaked out about younger!Subaru's eye, then I'm sorry. There is a reason for the over-emphasis of it. Hopefully, things will really get rollin' soon. 

**tekoo**---I know what you mean. I have the same problem--getting my mind out of its eternal gutter.

**Sakurazuka-chan**--Hello, Nee-san! (waves) Is this better for your eyes? Aw, thanks for the rant! It means a ton to me! Thanks for much for your outrageously encouraging reviews. They always leave me feeling very...floaty.

**tenshiamanda**--You're not alone. Most people think the modeling idea is weird. What I want to know is...why? I think it's absolutely applicable to Tokyo Babylon's atmosphere. (pouts) Oh, well. Thanks for the review.

**bitter-green tea**--Thanks for the quick note on the typos.(I have fixedthem.)I wish more people would be brave like you and point them out to me so I can fix them! That's what happens when you type at 2AM. (sighs) It's not that I'm stupid, it's just that typos are sneaky. Thanks a lot! I'm SO grateful

**Chibis Unleashed**--I'd never yell at you. What is Su--Kiyoshi planning? I wonder if he even knows that himself. (sighs and shakes her head) Maa, maa... And by the way, since we both agree that awesome is an awesome word, let me apply it to you: You are AWESOME!

**Ghost Whisper**--Thanks for the artsy review! They're my favorite kind to read! And you're right again about the last line of the chapter. It's wonderful you noticed exactly what I had in mind. He was speaking on multiple levels. My poor, poor, crazy Subaru...erm..that is to say--older!Subaru (Kiyoshi). Thanks (yet again) for the kind comments!

**Sakanagi**--Thanks for taking the time to give me an encouraging word or two. "Keep writing", you say? But of course, honey! Thanks again!

**tatsukmaki**--Veteran reviewer! All right! Hey, are you implying I'm on crack? (joking, joking) Is the modeling thing that insane? (pouts) Mou! (laughs) Thanks for continuing to review so regularly and so kindly!

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next chapter: "Go away. I don't want you here."_


	7. VI Freefall

**Illusory Tandem**

Kiyoshi walked slowly and deliberately into the main room where Kanaye was busy swimming in a pile of magazines, patterns, and fabrics. He knew he looked a mess after that stunt in the bathroom, and he didn't care. His eyes were bloodshot and his knuckles dripped with red. He quickly put his hands in his sleeves, hiding the sight of blood at least. He stared at the excitable teenager impassively. "Do you have a broom?" he asked coldly.

Kanaye jumped about five feet into the air; he obviously had not heard Kiyoshi enter. He yelped and held up his hands in a placating manner. "H-Hamada-san! My God, you scared the Hell outta me!" He put a hand over his racing heart and took several deep breaths.

"Where's a broom?" Kiyoshi repeated quietly.

Kanaye tilted his head in confusion before getting to his feet. He brushed imaginary dirt from his clothes and skipped to a small closet. Withdrawing a broom, he spun around and placed it delicately in Kiyoshi's hands. "Here ya go, Hamada-san. Is everything all right?"

Kiyoshi smiled creepily, his eyes bitter and burning with hatred. "Everything's fine." Saying no more, he turned and walked calmly back to the bathroom. He swept the broken glass into a small pile and mopped the splattered blood up with an old towel he found in the cabinet. Afterward, he deposited the debris into a small trashcan. He stared at the blank wall--noting how obvious the mirror's absence was. He sighed; he would just have to deal with the consequences as they came.

Exiting quietly, he shuffled back to the main room where Kanaye was busy glaring at Mashiro, who had just arrived it seemed.

"What gives you the right to come into my apartment without asking?" Kanaye was chirping angrily. "And how did you get a key!" His navy eyes were burning with a hostility Kiyoshi would never have guessed existed in him.

Mashiro huffed, crossing his arms. "From your father, idiot."

Kanaye's eyes turned inward, closing everyone and everything away. "My father," he spat, trailing off. "Hmph. Why can't he just--why can't he just…" He spun away, presenting Mashiro with his back. He now faced Kiyoshi, who he noticed with a jolt. "Hamada-san," he addressed, plastering a cheery façade quickly to his face. "Didn't see you there. Are you done with the broom?"

Kiyoshi passed the broom to the younger boy's hand mutely, observing the tension between the two conversants emotionlessly. He looked to Mashiro, noting his shocked expression. The boy's dark eyes stayed wide for a few seconds before reverting back to their natural narrow, slightly suspicious design.

"So you did change him," he said softly, walking forward until he stood beside Kanaye.

Kiyoshi was uncomfortable. He hated the appraising looks both boys were giving him. It was superficial. He felt like some dress-up doll. An--an…

…_object_.

He began to tremble, but it was scarcely noticeable--a man losing his composure. Or perhaps, it was sanity he was really losing. No, he mused. He had lost that long ago. He took a deep breath. If he were going to survive in this time and accomplish his objective, he would have to learn. He would learn to blend and act--a chameleon amongst the hordes of Tokyo inhabitants. He opened his eyes and smiled humorlessly. "Is there something on my face?" he asked pleasantly.

Mashiro's eyes darkened and he raised an eyebrow at the coy, impertinent tone.

Kanaye, on the other hand, laughed with delight. "No, no. I just did a good job on that haircut is all," he chuckled, elbowing Mashiro in the side. "Whaddya think, Mashiro?"

Mashiro rolled his eyes and settled one large hand on Kanaye's head, ruffling his hair joylessly. "It's a lucky start," he admitted stoically, secretly not liking the black entity called Hamada-san that had swept into their lives like a gigantic tidal wave. Nevertheless, he withdrew an apartment key from his pocket and tossed it to the man.

Kiyoshi stared at the keys impassively before turning his uncovered golden eye back to the young man curiously.

Kanaye blinked, mouth gaping. "Mashiro, you didn't--"

"Don't get all starry-eyed on me," the dark-haired boy quipped in annoyance. "This isn't my doing. I told your dad about your prodigy there and he remarked that he probably needed a place to stay."

Kanaye closed up quickly, his smiley mouth pulling itself into a flat line at the mention of his father. "Oh," he replied grimly.

"Old fart still has a sense of humor at least. Your room is the 13th on the 13th floor, Hamada--a floor down from here, for your information," he continued, observing Kanaye's distress warily.

Kiyoshi nodded, throwing up a mask of gratitude for the boys' benefit. He stretched a taut smile across his face; silently hoping it was the watered-down version of his usually insane grin. He bowed graciously. "I'm truly grateful," he said quietly.

Mashiro scoffed. "Well, don't feel too grateful to me, I'm only passing word. Yoshido's dad owns this whole apartment complex and several others, actually. Damn rich, that man."

Kiyoshi's eyes narrowed in thought. If Kanaye's dad was so 'damn rich' then why was Kanaye even trying to juggle two part-time jobs? He turned curious eyes to the boy.

Kanaye was gripping one wrist tensely, his eyes showing his turmoil clearly. "Damn rich," he repeated quietly. "I guess that means everything in today's world."

Feeling oddly out of place in the midst of the meaningful looks Mashiro was casting Kanaye's way, Kiyoshi made his way toward the door. "Well…Yoshido-san, Kuroki-san," he nodded at each boy. "I think I'll go and get settled into my new living quarters if you don't mind."

Kanaye snapped to attention. "Oh! Wait! I'm sorry--we were going to get started with orchestrating your style, weren't we? I got sidetracked! Wait! We'll start right now if you want--!"

Tucking his black garments under one arm and tightening the belt of his yukata, Kiyoshi smiled. Shaking his head, he let out a soft, little laugh. "No, no. I'd actually quite like to get settled in. I'll see you tomorrow morning. A fresh start, hm?" He slipped his shoes on quickly and opened the door.

Kanaye stopped protesting once he caught sight of the annoyance painted on Mashiro's face. "Oh," he conceded finally, "all right…if that's what you want. See you tomorrow." Dejectedly, he began to stack his vast array of magazines neatly on a bookshelf. "But I'm still gonna brainstorm, all right?" Elbowing Mashiro, he barked out the orders, "Hey! Help me heave all these to my bed--I'm gonna study all night!"

Chuckling mildly, Kiyoshi stepped out the door and shut it soundlessly behind him. He could still hear the two arguing as he drifted down the hallway and into the nearest elevator.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru groaned as Hokuto, in her excitement, knocked over her cup of tea…right onto the fax he was reading. "Hokuto-chan," he moaned, mopping up the hot liquid with a napkin.

"Oh, sorry, Subaru!" she cackled. "Maybe, since you can't _read_ that stupid fax you can take the day off. After all," she raised her voice to what Subaru knew was surely an unhealthy decibel level, "with all that's been happening you _definitely_ need to rest! Your dear elder sister suggested taking a day off and even Sei-chan offered to spend the day with you, but do you listen? _Nooooo!_ You have to go and be all _'I'm Subaru the 13th Sumeragi Head and I'm a workaholic'_ again! _MOU!_" She threw her arms around Subaru's neck and began shaking him violently.

"Hoookuto-chaaan," Subaru drawled dizzily.

"Don't you _Hokuto-chan _me!" she said loudly. The shaking eventually subsided and her squeeze turned into a natural, fond embrace. "Subaru," she said quietly, expression softening, "I want you to be very careful out there today."

"You know that I will, Hokuto-chan," Subaru replied, noting the distant and worried look on his sister's face. So she had a feeling of unrest as well--all the more reason for him to do some heavy investigation while he was out. Hokuto's gut instincts were usually on the money.

"I'd feel much better if you let me go with you, Subaru!" When her brother shook his head, she scowled. "I'd stay out of the way!"

Subaru still shook his head. "No, Hokuto-chan," he said, his tone was soft but tinged with firm finality.

Hokuto huffed. She was silent for a second but immediately perked up as another option crossed her mind. "Wait just a minute," she crowed, "I have an even better idea!" She leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Have Sei-chan go with you!"

Subaru's cheeks immediately flushed red and he shook his head back and forth violently.

"Oh come on, Subaru! He would go with you in a heartbeat! Wait just a minute! I'll call him!" She unwrapped her arms from Subaru's neck and made ready to dash across the room to the phone.

Subaru hugged her sporadically--the best way he could figure to keep her from the phone. "No, no, no! He has work to do, Hokuto-chan! We can't ask him--"

"Seriously, Subaru! You need to open your eyes! Sei-chan is your boyfriend--of course he'll drop everything for you!" she said happily.

Subaru's face was so red it nearly bordered on violet. "Oh--my--God! _Boyfriend_, Hokuto-chan! _Boyfriend!_"

Hokuto grinned like a cat. "Actually, the better term would be fiancée, I guess."

Subaru threw his hands in the air, totally beside himself. "Hokuto-chan, do you have any idea how that _sounds_?"

"Of course I do," she said with a little nod.

"You don't _tell _people that do you!" he shouted. He swore his face felt so hot, steam must have been rising from it.

"Yeah, why?" she said, examining her nails in an infuriating way. She watched as her brother stuttered adorably. "Everyone except for our grandmother anyway. My friends all know about you and the gorgeous vet." She snickered as she watched the shades of red dance across Subaru's face.

"Hokuto-chan, you're unbelievable," Subaru whined as he pulled on his jacket.

She grinned widely. "I know! Isn't it fabulous? Anyway, if you don't want to listen to me--_fine_! I do, however, know what's best. And if things get to going too tough--and you'd better be honest with yourself about that--you come right home and go to sleep! You are a professional, and professionals always need to be at their best! You, mister, are exhausted!"

Subaru smiled weakly. "Oh, Hokuto-chan… This job shouldn't be difficult. It's just a reported haunting. I'll be done pretty quickly, I think."

She raised an eyebrow in suspicion as she paced a circle around her twin brother. "Are you sure? You wouldn't be planning on doing anything _else_ afterward, would you? You're not going to go snooping around or anything?"

Subaru gulped. How could Hokuto have suspected that he was going to look into the recent series of unusual events--that he was going to, as she put it, go snooping around? She always knew when he was planning something. Her bridge green eyes glowed with some unseen force called 'super-see-through-Subaru' power. He forced himself to smile, although he knew it looked strained and nervous. He had to think of something fast--something that would calm her down and divert her attention. "Um," he swallowed his embarrassment and gritted the words out. "I-I was going to g-go see…um," the last part came out in a whisper, "Seishiro-san."

Hokuto stopped frowning; her lips turned upward in delight. All at once her characteristic 'ohoho' laughter burst from her mouth at a roaring volume that Subaru winced. "Oh so, Subaru?" she cackled. "Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning then instead of later on tonight!"

Subaru stared at her blankly, his green eyes widening as realization of her implication fell down upon him like an anvil. "Wh-what are you _saying_!" he screeched. "I'm not going to spend the _night_!"

She stopped laughing and met him with a serious gaze. "But you want to, right?" she said evenly.

Subaru gasped, his stomach doing crazy acrobatics. Could he possibly want that? Maybe he did. He shoved the thoughts away with ferocity. No! _No_! He didn't have time to think about that! "I just wanted to thank him for offering to help out is all!" he stammered out, trying to block out her infuriating I-know-all look.

"And how exactly did you plan on _thanking_ him?" she asked mischievously, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

His jaw dropped open in disbelief. "That's enough, Hokuto-chan! It's nothing like that!"

Hokuto broke her heavy gaze and flicked her eyes skywards. "Oh, all right. Seems you're still in denial. What a pity."

"I'm going now," Subaru said with a frown, accentuating every word. He pulled on his hat and put his hand on the door.

Hokuto grasped Subaru's hand. Quickly, she laced her fingers through his. "Subaru." Her eyes were like lamps as she gazed at him lovingly. "Be careful, okay?"

Subaru smiled and let out a little huff of air, glad that she had dropped her teasing for the moment. "I will."

"You promise?" she asked, a little desperation creeping into her voice despite her best efforts.

Subaru smiled and squeezed her hand affectionately. "I promise."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi wrestled his black garments from the abyss of the dryer. The apartment really was nice, he distantly noted--to have luxuries like a washer and dryer on hand. He untied the sash of his yukata and let it drop to the floor. Then, languidly, he slid his jet-black ensemble on. It felt much better now that it was dry. The tree was calling to him. Now that it had two Sakurazukamori working for it, it could eat as much as it wanted. Gluttony. Such a hideous thing.

Kiyoshi felt strange thinking about the work he was doing. He was detached--without care and without feeling. He felt dead inside, like he was merely going through the motions of living. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers softly over the eyelid of the one that wasn't covered by his thick bangs.

But I still Wish… 

Letting the thought die, he flipped the lights off and walked over to the window. The afternoon was late, but the overcast clouds made it seem even later. He opened the window, not flinching as a gust of moist wind swept into the room. Rain was coming. Too bad he didn't own an umbrella. Feeling strangely rampant and a little unbalanced, he leapt. And as he descended, he weaved threads of illusion around his body. There was work to do.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sakurazuka Seishiro opened his umbrella as the first drops of rain began to fall. He smiled and tucked his newspaper into the breast pocket of his burnt sienna-colored coat. He pulled the shopping bag that dangled from his arm closer to his body. It wouldn't do for it to get wet. Especially since the gift was for Subaru.

Lately, he had picked up the most annoying habit--one that interfered with daily life whenever he went to a store. He had begun picking up random gifts for Subaru--gifts that were spurred by no plan or occasion. He would simply see a shirt or a hat or some other silly object that would remind him of the boy. This time it had been expensive. In his bag was a double-breasted coat. It was the perfect saturation of red, not too dark and not too bright, bordering on a shade of crimson. It would hit off the green in Subaru's eyes exquisitely. He told himself that he was buying it to improve his image of friendly, love-smitten veterinarian, but the truth was…well, he didn't completely understand the truth.

He had been investigating the precinct. But other than the fact that the spirits were more disturbed than usual he couldn't find much that explained anything. He was almost positive that there had been a spike in the earth's spiritual field, but he wasn't even close to discovering the cause. He suspected that Subaru would also look into it, and he secretly wished the boy would uncover something. The knowledge that he had unexpectedly passed out combined with the mysterious blood that had come and gone from Subaru's eye had him a little more than unsettled. The mystery was like a constant thorn in his side.

"Oh, my good gracious!" a voice called from across the street. "Oh, I don't believe it!"

At first, Seishiro paid no attention to the voice. Surely, it didn't concern him. The voice sounded aged--like an old woman. And what business would an old woman have with him besides bringing her poor decrepit animal to his clinic for treatment?

"Yoo-hoo! Please, wait! Young man!"

The next thing he knew, clammy hands had reached up to grip the sides of his face. He felt his cheeks being pinched as he was tugged forward. His instincts jostled to life and screamed that he should take a quick swipe to end the intruder's life. However, the rational part of his brain explained, it would hardly look good on his resume if he murdered an old woman in plain sight on the street. He opened his eyes and came face to face with a crinkled set of brown ones.

"Um," he began, forcing himself to smile. The way she was forcing his cheeks together made the effort quite difficult. He pulled away from her. "Excuse me but I'm in a hurry." He reasserted a firm grip on his umbrella and brushed past the old crone, silently disturbed at her audacity to approach him.

"Ah, really? That's too bad. As a child, you were never patient unless she told you to be, so I can't say I'm surprised at you," she cackled.

Seishiro stopped. "A child," he repeated. "Old lady, do you think you know me?" He almost laughed. It happened all the time in Tokyo, he supposed--someone mistaking an individual for an acquaintance. But since he was in actuality a bloodthirsty assassin by definition, it made this particular sequence especially hilarious.

"You are Seishiro-kun," the lady laughed, stepping underneath his umbrella without invitation.

Seishiro rolled his eyes in frustration. "Lucky guess," he mumbled to himself. After all, that could just be an eerie coincidence. Names were an easy thing to find, not to mention numerous.

The old lady grinned like an old statue one might see guarding an old shrine. "Sakurazuka," she added, watching closely for a reaction.

Seishiro was vaguely annoyed. The rain was getting harder and he wanted to hurry home. Sakurazuka Seishiro--a name that maybe was discovered through his veterinarian clinic. He grew tired of playing games with the ancient woman. He began to take steps backward. The woman pursued him.

"I told you to wait, dammit!" the woman yelled, shaking her fist. "Your Setsuka's boy, aren't you, and don't you dare go on denyin' it!"

Seishiro's eyes widened. _'What?'_ He turned swiftly to face the old woman. "What do you mean?" he demanded, stepping forward and unconsciously gripping her collar.

She scowled. "I knew your mother is all I am saying. Now put me down this _instant_!"

Seishiro glanced around uneasily. A few people were staring. He did as she wished, eyes narrowing as she grabbed his sleeve and hauled him towards a nearby café. She was surprisingly strong for such an old crone. They entered the doors and she ushered him toward as booth. They took seat opposite from one another. Seishiro had to admit that his interest had been piqued. How often was it he met someone who knew his mother? Not often, he mused--if at all. She murdered most she came into close contact with.

"What're you smirking about?" the old woman growled. She resembled some bloodhound, he laughed to himself--with all her wrinkles and leathery, hanging skin. She had beady brown eyes that almost seemed black in the dim light of the restaurant. She wore clothes that looked like they had been picked out from the garbage dump--or perhaps she had just worn the same ones for some fifty odd years. Her pink shawl covered most of her gray, frazzled hair. "Order us coffee," she barked.

Seishiro shook his head with a laugh. "My pleasure," he said charmingly.

She raised an eyebrow at his polite attitude. "Drop that sarcasm, young man--or I'll hit you over the head with my carpet bag."

Seishiro's mouth nearly dropped open as she held up her bulging bag threatening. "I was merely trying to be chivalrous," he chided as the waitress took their orders.

"Chivalrous my ass," she said gruffly. "And I know a lie when I hear it."

Seishiro's eye twitched. He made a mental note to make sure Subaru and this woman never met.

The old woman cleared her throat and fixed an even gaze onto Seishiro. "Anyway, on to business. A long time ago, I knew your mother, Setsuka. She was quite the little minx, she was. You're a smooth-talker just like she was, you know."

Seishiro leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands. "How did you know her?"

"Ah! I'm hurt that you don't remember me, Seishiro-kun!" she clucked.

Seishiro inwardly winced at the annoying familiarity with which she addressed him.

"I owned a variety shop that you two visited all the time! I sold flowers, mostly--and your mother always bought fresh camellias. She dragged you behind her sometimes. You were always such a beautiful boy. She fussed over you. But you always seemed a little…detached. I worried about you sometimes," she laughed hoarsely--the chuckle turning into a cough halfway through. "Thought maybe you were autistic or something."

Seishiro straightened up. The whole situation was rather odd. Many things his mind had turned over in relation to the old woman--but a flower vendor had never crossed his mind. It seemed a little bland, a little too unimportant for him to remember. Why did the old woman care so much? It sounded as if they had only been fleeting customers in her little shop.

"How old are you now?" the woman asked.

"Twenty-five," he answered automatically; it seemed too harmless a thing to lie about.

"Are you married?" she asked angelically, smiling at the waitress as their coffees arrived.

Seishiro frowned a little as he took his coffee from the tray. "No."

Her eyebrows shot up. She took a sip of her coffee, expression troubled. "Are you seeing someone?"

It was then that the wheels began to turn in his head. Perhaps the woman was scheming. What if she knew of the Sakurazukamori? He hardly believed his mother would have been so sloppy as to let a little old woman find out, but what if it were true? Suppose someone close to the woman had been targeted and murdered--a husband perhaps. Therefore, revenge would be expected. Her plan might be to find those close to him (not that Subaru was 'close') and exact revenge on them. His fingers twitched. His logic arrived at one conclusion: he should kill her.

The woman cleared her throat as she watched the flurry of slight twitches cross the man's face. "Hmmm." She took another slow sip of her coffee. "I knew it. You're a total failure as a man!"

"What?" Seishiro blurted, thoughts temporarily disassembled.

"So you _aren't _seeing anyone and you're _not_ married and you're _already_ twenty-five! Ohhh, what a _disgrace_ to manhood! I can hardly believe this!" She downed her coffee in one gulp. "I suspected you were an _autistic_ case!"

Seishiro closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and regained total composure. He had had enough of treating an old grandmother to an afternoon tea party. He made to stand up. "It's been fun, old lady, but I unfortunately have things to do and places to go."

"Now wait just a second! I never arrived at my point!" she insisted, slamming her coffee cup down violently.

Seishiro heard a chinking sound and knew that she had cracked it. He shrugged. "It sounded as if you were going to go on scolding me forever," he replied with an easy-going smile.

She shook her head. "No." Staring at her hands in deep concentration, she spoke again. "She left something in my possession long ago, and it's something that I must give you."

"Let me guess. Flowers," Seishiro said, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.

The old lady rolled her beady brown eyes. "If you don't behave better then I won't bother. I'll just _pawn_ the trinkets!"

Seishiro hated to admit it, but he was curious as of to what his mother could have left. "Fine," he conceded. "Give these so-called 'trinkets' to me now."

"Don't got 'em," she chuckled. "They're at my old shop right now. I'll have to make a special trip to go and get 'em."

Seishiro deadpanned. It was possible the woman was lying. He turned his back on her.

"If you tell me where to find you of course, I'll bring them by later," she said, rising from her seat.

Seishiro sighed dramatically and withdrew a sheet of paper from his inside pocket. Scribbling down an address and phone number, he handed it to her. "You may bring them to my veterinary clinic, but I would like it if you called me beforehand."

She folded the paper sloppily and slipped it in her tacky, carpeted bag. "Righto!" she said energetically, displaying a thumbs-up.

Seishiro shook his head in exasperation as he walked away. How annoying. Now the rain was coming down in torrents. If she hadn't distracted him, he would have been home already. He pushed open the doors, opened his umbrella, and stepped into the pouring rain. After a few paces, a howling gust of wind ripped his umbrella away. He chased it for a few seconds before giving up. He was thoroughly soaked and feeling unusually grumpy. He had tucked his shopping bag securely inside his coat, but at this rate even that would not ensure its safety. He childishly tromped through the puddles, secretly blaming the old woman's interference for his misfortune.

The storm had gotten so bad that almost no one was on the streets. The rain was cold and piercing. If he had just held a better grip on that damned umbrella--

"Here," called a low voice from behind. A gloved hand grabbed his and for a moment he thought it might be Subaru--but then his instincts kicked in. After all, he always knew where Subaru was thanks to the handy pentagrams the boy possessed. He felt an umbrella handle being passed to his hand.

Seishiro spun around. He could sense that the person was about to flee so he grabbed that slim hand tightly. It was a young man. He was dressed in black and had dark hair, which was matted down his head and face. He kept his head down. Seishiro was positive he had never seen him before, but a lingering doubt in his mind insisted that he was familiar. It was so dark he could hardly see properly, after all. Words spilled from his mouth on impulse. "Thank you," he said, voice soft. "That's very kind of you."

The man raised his head then, and in the dim light Seishiro could see one large golden eye. The other was covered by long reddish bangs. The eye squinted, filling with anguish at Seishiro's words. He jerked his hand away from his firm grip. "You're welcome," he replied stoically.

Seishiro smiled emptily. He bowed to the young man and turned to leave. After a few seconds, he realized that the polite thing to do would be to let him keep the umbrella. He stopped and turned around, intent on giving the cover back. He scanned the street, but there was no sign of the mysterious young man. He mouth set itself into a thin line.

_Oh, well. That's too bad._

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru sneezed as he stepped into the dimly lit apartment. "Is this the right place?" he murmured aloud. He pulled out his coffee-stained fax and rescanned the details. The 13th floor in the 2nd room, it said. He looked up. The place was lavishly furnished and expensive-looking. He couldn't feel any unusual presence at the moment, but investigation was always a good idea. There was supposed to be a man living in the apartment, but he could see no one awaiting his arrival. Plus, it was a little too dark to see well.

_CLAP._ Suddenly, all the lamps blinked to life. Subaru jumped. There was a man standing in the middle of the room. He was smiling. "Hello, hello! What can I do for you?" he asked cheerfully.

"Um… My services were called for," Subaru began. "I-I'm Sumeragi Subaru." He bowed gracefully, holding his hat in his hands tensely.

"Oh!" the man exclaimed, raising dark eyebrows. "My, you're not exactly what I expected, if you don't mind me saying."

Subaru let out a frustrated breath of air. "I get that a lot."

"I think it's a good thing," the man laughed. "I was expecting some ancient old crone in robes and instead comes a cute young boy dressed in the latest fashions!"

Subaru was suddenly very aware of his outfit. A checkerboard shirt overlaid with black satin and buckles. His hat and trench coat were a rich navy color. "Cute," he repeated dumbly, face tingeing the slightest pink. He observed the man shyly. He reminded him of a black crow, but not in a bad way. He was very tall and dark and, if he must admit it, dashingly handsome. But the ease with which he stood raised suspicion in Subaru's heart. If there was a haunting, why was he so laid-back? He had a wine glass in his right hand, Subaru observed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. How rude of me. Come in, come in, Sumeragi-san." He set his wine glass down on a small table and rushed to take Subaru's coat and hat.

"Th-thank you," Subaru stuttered. He pulled off his shoes and stepped inside on the soft carpet. "Um," he began nervously.

The man stared at him curiously. "How rude of me," he began. "My name is Kurosato Rui, but you may call me just 'Rui' if you'd like."

Subaru blushed. "Okay, but…"

"Would you like something to drink?" the man asked politely. "I have tea ready, but if you want some wine I won't deny you."

Subaru wanted to escape from the man's deep gaze for a little while. Thus, he accepted the offer of tea. "Tea would be great. Thank you, Kurosato-san," he sighed, raking his hands through his slightly damp hair.

"I'll be right back," the man known as Kurosato called as he glided off to the kitchen.

He returned a little while later with a small cup of steaming tea. "Thank you," Subaru said quietly, tensing a little as Kurosato handed him the tea. Was it just his imagination or did the touch of the man's hand linger on his own?

"Oh, I suppose you want to get to work. She's in the back, if you want to know," Kurosato said lightly.

Subaru's step faltered. "She?"

"She's been here since I moved in and at first I could stand it. But lately, she's been disturbing my sleep with her wailing--poor thing." He pinched the bridge of his nose and squinted his eyes in frustration. "Anyway," he continued, plastering a happy smile to his face, "Shall I show you to my bedroom?"

Subaru tried to ignore the sly tone that had crept into the man's voice when he said that. He followed him into a dark room. "Is this it?" he asked uncertainly, glancing around uneasily. He couldn't feel anything out of sorts. "You said a female spirit has been here since you moved in. When was that?"

Kurosato tilted his head in thought. "Oh, about a month or so ago, actually."

"Hmm," Subaru replied, padding across the room. "Where do you usually see her?"

"When I'm lying in bed, of course. Usually, she floats just above eye level," Kurosato replied, smiling.

Subaru resigned himself to a thorough check. He set his half-finished tea on the bedside table and clambered onto the rather high bed. He settled himself in the center and closed his eyes. Putting his hand together in a flurry of shapes, he began to chant. He might as well do things right.

Unbeknownst to Subaru however was the sound of the door being locked and a small clap that automatically turned off the lights. He did notice though, when a large hand clamped onto his shoulder and a heavy weight joined him on the bed. He opened his eyes warily. It was dark. He opened his mouth to speak, but another large hand covered it.

"Mmmff!" His green eyes opened wide and he stared fearfully into a pair of malevolent black eyes. _"What the--?"_

"Sorry about this, Subaru-kun," Kurosato cooed seductively. "I'm afraid I've been a little," he stroked his hand across Subaru's face and rubbed his thumb against his lips, "_dishonest_."

Subaru shivered, his limbs suddenly refusing to work. Wait a minute--_refusing to work! _Afraid of the possible results, Subaru concentrated all his will power on moving his arms. An inch. That's the amount of movement he could manage.

Why, God? 

Thin lips brushed his collarbone and he shivered.

No. This can't be happening! 

"I lied," Kurosato smirked. "I knew about you all along. I had heard that the 13th Sumeragi Head was beautiful and so I decided to look into things for myself. You're such a celebrity that it wasn't hard to find information about you. And then I saw you on the street." A devilish smirk crossed his face. "I had to have you, you know. I just couldn't stop myself."

Subaru opened his mouth to scream, but his lips had gone numb. He settled for a panicked groan. Unfortunately, that moan of terror excited his oppressor and made a mad glimmer appear in his eyes.

"I guess you've learned not to take_ tea_ from a stranger, Subaru-kun. But it's a little late for that," his voice cracked hoarsely and his breath was coming with ragged excitement. "Your _skin_…_mmm_…so _soft_."

"Seishiro-san!" Subaru wanted to scream as a foreign tongue dance across his cheek. _"Seishiro-san!"_ He wanted to cry, he wanted to melt away into nothingness, and he wanted to die. The first sharp pangs of shame were beginning to creep into his heart. He was in shock--he could hardly believe his misfortune. Oh, why did he have to be so trusting? He had almost dismissed the offer for tea, and now he was desperately wishing he had gone with his instincts. He couldn't move his limbs, but he unfortunately had not lost the sensation of touch.

_Oh God—I'm going to be sick._

_Get your hands off me!_

_Don't touch me!_

_I don't belong to you!_

_I…_

_I belong to…_

_/to…/_

His shirt was unbuttoned. Sweaty, nervous hands had squirmed inside to caress his skin. Uninvited advances. Shame. Fear. Unrequited lust. Shame. Fear. Lust. Skin. Hands. Anger. Hate. Shame. Anger. Rage.

_Rage._

"_Go away! I don't want you here! This is my body!"_

He moved his arm. Then he moved his legs. With power uncharacteristic of his small frame, he shoved the attacker. Once--twice. And then the man was on his back on the floor. Subaru heaved his body upward with great difficulty. He managed to roll himself from the bed on the opposite side of the man. He wobbled as quickly as he could to the door. He unlocked it--was grabbed from behind. He yelled, but it came out mangled and quiet.

_No, no!_

His arms were pinned behind his back.

_No, no!_

The man hissed words in his ear that he could barely understand for all his panic. _You're not getting away from me, _hissed the voice. _My pretty little boy._

_Sick, sick, sick, sick! _Subaru's mind repeated over and over. He got his hand around the doorknob. He sloppily twisted it and let the door fall open. His weight and the man's combined caused them to fall forward with a violent crash. Subaru rolled away and delivered a slightly off-aim kick to Kurosato's neck. He heard him shudder and choke. He stumbled to his feet and wandered half-in-a-daze toward the nearest exit his mind could recognize--a glass window. It was ornate stained glass, like one would glimpse every once in a while at an old European-style church. The man certainly lived in high style. Mind-boggling.

As Subaru fumbled, his shirt sliding halfway down his shoulders and his pants unbuttoned, he fought not to slip. Whatever was in that tea, it was affecting him almost more than he could bear. A shadow fell on his back and he knew that the man was back up again. He shivered, knowing there was nowhere to run anymore--not that he could even manage a shaky walk. He turned, pressing his back against the cold, stained glass window. He could hear the pounding rain thrashing against glass. But he was thirteen floors up and to jump would mean death. A choice between death and shame.

Kurosato's face seemed distorted in Subaru's mind--like those crooked mirrors at amusement parks. The room was spinning and Subaru was falling. He was failing--fading. And he wanted to die. And then suddenly--unexpectedly--there was another problem. Hardly noticed, hardly registered before it was too late--the rush of power jostled him to the core. And he screamed for real, his vocal chords straining and screeching. Pain. So much pain. 

And dim light then. He was thrown backwards by the rush of energy. Distantly, there was a familiar sound--like glass breaking, like cars screeching. Then rain was beating his face. And he was falling for real. Down. Down into oblivion. Descending to Hell. But away from shame, at least. He squinted his eyes open to see Kurosato growing dimmer and further away. The man looked distressed with hands extended as if to reach for him and mouth moving in shouts of dismay. Subaru's eyes closed. His head scorched in pain.

And he wondered how a sakanagi could hit him at a time like this…

END CHAPTER SIX.

_

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_Theme Song for this Chapter:  
_"_I Believe in You" (Origin Version) by Evanescence

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_

So, was that what you all expected? Not me. This chapter ran away from itself and has deviated from the actual outline I made. Especially the old woman who is currently nameless. She was supposed to be all mysterious and creepy. She ended up spunky and nosy. Maa, maa… Oh, well. Nothing I can do about it now. I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. It was rather fun to write, even with the absence of a SeiSub! moment. On to review responses.

**Tekoo**--Oh, thanks for such a kind review! Subaru's gloves were off because he was taking a shower. And his hands didn't glow because Seishiro didn't will it so. Really, would he give himself away like that? Especially since his mind was on (ahem) other things? Maybe we'll get more UST soon, but I had to move the plot along this chapter, unfortunately. It was still fun to write--but in a different, non-drooling way.

**Ghost Whisper**--Ooh! A play by play? My gosh, that's really generous! You deserve a cookie. (Store-bought 'cause I'm a terrible cook, though.) Ah, I love Hokuto as well. She functions well in a story because you can set a whole dang scene with the girl! She's one of my favorite CLAMP characters of all time. There will never be another Hokuto. You like Kanaye? Oh, I'm so glad! I'm rather fond of him--he's a bundle of energy. Kiyoshi…poor thing. Who knows what will become of him. I need to draw his new look. And lastly the eye bit. All I can say is that you're not completely off base. And thanks for the recommendation! I appreciate it very much!

**Tatsumaki--**Shotgun marriage! (laughs) I like fan service. It's mostly for me, though. Kiyoshi is not trusting of Kanaye. He's using him as a means of having an inconspicuous income and that's about all. And next chapter you'll get to see a bit of "Hey, what the Hell is wrong with that guy?" dynamic, which will mostly come from Mashiro, who is more suspicious of him. Ooo! I can't tell you about your next point. I am, however, proud of you for noticing such a little seed. All I can say is--well, changing it would alter a later, very valuable plot point. Or if you want to think of it another way and not boggle your mind with worry, imagine 'beloved' was mentally said with much undiluted sarcasm. Thanks for pointing those things out though. Very valid points. And of course, as always, thanks for reviewing so kindly!

**Sakurazuka-chan**--Nee-san! (huggles) Look, I've updated! (beams like a small child that has done something worthwhile) I had a dream about the "Cell Block Tango" TYO-style, by the way--and it's all your fault! (giggles) It sure was a funny dream, though. I need to tell you about it sometime. It's pretty bad. Anyway, I can never watch Chicago again, lest the dream returns. 00 Thanks for the review!

**Haru--**Thank you very much, Haru-chan! (Sorry couldn't resist--made me think of 'Please Save My earth' anime.) I'm glad you enjoy underlying darkness. Those kinds of things always creep me out. Kind of like the kind of thunderstorms where you can see splotchy sunlight behind. I saw a photograph once that unsettled me. It was a tornado, and since tornados are traditionally spawned at the tail end of storms, you could see sunlight and a rainbow (yes, a rainbow) in the background! So much destruction juxtaposed with a classic symbol of hope. I suppose that should be happy in a way, but the photo is just tragic. Oh, yeah, where was I? Yes, thanks for the review!

**Yaoikitten--**Wai! It's you! The wonderful person from live journal! Squee! I need to clean up my fic stuff over there soon. I'll try to be good and do so soon enough. Time tends to get away from me so often I could just keel over dead. By the way, your YnM fic gave me a nightmare. But still, it was good--in a disturbing way, of course.

**Sakanagi**--I thought about that, but I realized something too drastic seemed out of place and unneeded. It's doubtful they'll think he's Subaru since he's older anyway, my brain reasoned. Just a bit of altering was necessary. I want to draw him in his new look, but I'm afraid I'll botch the job! (yells: "Can anyone out there draw well?") I'm glad Kanaye remains absent from some of your anime character hit-lists…at the current moment anyway. Thanks for reviewing! (waves)

**Lusewen**--Thanks! I have an unhealthy obsession with mirrors and glass… So pretty. Gee, that makes me sound one of many things: egotistical, unhealthy, scary or just plain vain! Sorry. Did you like this chapter, even though there wasn't a SubSei UST moment? I hope you did.

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: "Why won't you breathe? I'm right here beside you, so why won't you breathe?"_


	8. VII Impact

**Illusory Tandem**

Mashiro stepped briskly out the front doors of the apartment complex. The blonde enigma by the name of Yoshido Kanaye had kicked him out again. But the boy was always sporadic like that, so he supposed he would forgive him…eventually. One moment, the boy would bear his presence--sometimes even seeming to enjoy it--and then it was back to 'I Hate You'. He had grown tired of hearing the words, but he supposed it was his own fault. He was truly sorry for what had happened five years ago, but he could not put the sentiments into so many words. Mashiro hated talking about such things--especially when they applied to Kanaye.

Now, Kanaye had leapt back full-force into his so-called modeling career. Mashiro himself had been successful in the fashion field a year or so after leaving high school, but he had soon after quit the business to follow Kanaye into what he referred to as 'bum jobs'--a café waiter, an elevator man, a museum guide; he had done it all and more. Yet for all of Kanaye's anger at his presence, he never seemed to catch on to the fact that Mashiro followed him around. Perhaps the boy had accepted it by now. In fact, when Kanaye had gotten his most recent job as a waiter in the café, Mashiro had not immediately followed suit--choosing instead to wait a few days before applying for the job. Kanaye had called him for the first time since their school days then, timidly questioning his actions. So the next day he had gotten a job at the same café and things remained as they had always been.

When Kanaye was eighteen, he had discovered the world of fashion. He had been introduced to Mashiro's old boss, Yoshioka, much to Mashiro's chagrin. Yoshioka-san was a big-time millionaire, owning well over twenty big companies. Personally, Mashiro was not fond of the older man. For one, the old coot was more than a little on the perverted side and had taken much interest in the young Kanaye. He had also begged for Mashiro's return to his company. Mashiro had refused then, but now he was almost reconsidering. For a year and a half, Kanaye had pursued his career as modeling agent but he had not gotten far--not for lack of talent or charisma, rather his models were simply not very striking.

Mashiro had always been able to keep an eye on him. But now Hamada Kiyoshi had appeared, willing to be a model for the eager Kanaye. The man had the chance to be successful, Mashiro had to admit. He had a very good chance--regardless of whether or not Mashiro was willing to admit it. Hamada Kiyoshi had a beautifully untouchable quality that was almost creepy. Mashiro didn't like it, not one bit. Something about the man's countenance and his mismatched eyes made Mashiro want to grab Kanaye and get on the quickest boat out of Japan. And that was a major problem as far as Mashiro was concerned--he had never been afraid of anyone.

He snapped out of his thoughts and noticed that rain was coming down in violent sheets outside. Just great, he grumbled inwardly. Weather to match the mood. He quickly got out his umbrella. He viewed his face in the tall black windows adorning the space beside the door. His dark eyes were grim and his mouth was pulled into a frown.

Oh, yes. He was in a bad mood. Kanaye was ignoring him and a man that for all he knew could have been a crazy psycho was living on the floor below him. At least he had managed to get them into different living quarters. He was positive that Kanaye would have offered Hamada Kiyoshi the spare bedroom in his apartment had he not arranged for the man to live elsewhere. He shuddered as he pushed opened the doors and stepped outside, the rain pelting on the roof of his umbrella noisily. Considering what had happened in the past, that boy was way too trusting. Or maybe Kanaye was simply blind when it came to opportunities for making a profit. He was determined to make it on his own--without the help of his father. If only he knew that--

"KyaaaAAA! Someone's falling!"

"Did someone jump!"

"Oh, my God! Somebody do something!"

A crowd of people was gesticulating wildly with fingers pointing upward. Mashiro glanced above and nearly choked at the sight. His pupils shrank and his brain shut down as his trained body worked on autopilot. He threw down his umbrella and, quickly judging the distance in his mind, took seven gigantic strides forward. Tensing as he prepared for impact, he spread his arms wide. Two seconds later, something cold, wet, and shaking slammed full-force into his body. He let himself go with the impact, breaking the fall the best his painfully mortal body was able to.

Nevertheless, his body slammed to the ground as well and he heard his ankle crack soundly. His head hit the concrete and he began to lose focus. He squinted his eyes open and focused on the violently thrashing figure that had slammed into him. Then that body went limp. On impact, its arm had crashed over the side of the protection of Mashiro's body, and the popping sound at the time strongly hinted that the arm was broken or at least dislocated.

Before he lost his consciousness completely, Mashiro saw the features of the one he had saved--a delicate person with pale skin and dark hair. The screams and shouts and hurried footsteps around him seemed to grow more distant with each passing second. He could felt the patter of cold rain on his cheeks, but he felt too detached to care--a spirit floating freely on a wayward breeze. He thought briefly of Kanaye, navy eyes shining like the night sky and shimmering with stars that were hidden tears. Then all went black.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rain had gotten much worse. The streaks of water dropped like icy daggers from the sky, cutting through parts of Seishiro's coat with ridiculous ease. Seishiro had to pick up his feet in a discomforting manner to avoid the gigantic puddles. Everything was dark and impossibly foggy, and only he and few others had the gall to be out to challenge such a storm. He growled at his misfortune. That annoying old woman--if she had not stopped him, he would have already made it home by now. He felt the slightly damp bag that was hidden inside his coat. If the gift for Subaru had been ruined, he would be one unhappy assassin. And it didn't take a genius to ascertain what that meant.

He tightened his hold on his umbrella. The young man in black had been most kind to retrieve it for him. For without it, Subaru's gift would have most certainly been ruined. It was of some wonder, though, that he had managed to retrieve the very same one Seishiro had lost. His instincts banked on the possibility that the man had been following him. Either that, or both of them simply shopped for umbrellas at the same department store. Somehow, Seishiro doubted that. Maybe he shouldn't jump to conclusions, though. Perhaps the young man had accidentally stumbled upon it after seeing Seishiro lose it. There was no proof he had been stalking him. Seishiro silently wondered if he was becoming paranoid. Either way, he decided, he was spending entirely too much time dwelling on someone who didn't really matter.

He winced as a shot of energy lanced through him. _Now what?_ his mind demanded grumpily. He briefly wondered if the tree was acting up in the midst of the bad weather. He hadn't fed it in a while, after all. A feeling of slight nervousness settled in his stomach, reminding him of times he was about to perform a particularly difficult spell. Next, adrenaline surged in his veins and he knew suddenly exactly what it was he was sensing.

_Subaru-kun. _

Just as he came to the conclusion, his mind screamed of another approaching danger. His instincts flared to life and--not questioning them--he threw his body sideways, crashing through the window of a department store. He landed in a pile of stuffed penguins, ruining the hard-to-balance display work. A whoosh of air rushed past him, billowing the folds of his dark coat spectacularly. _Dammit!_ he wanted to yell at the ambulance as it rushed past. He watched as it clumsily realigned itself on the road. Luckily, no one (besides him) had been in its path when it had hydroplaned off its course and onto the sidewalk.

_Whee—oo. Whee-oooo. _The siren's calls grew quieter and quieter as it faded from sight.

He took a moment to catch his breath. How peculiar that the speeding vehicle had almost crashed into him, he thought. It was almost as if it had been trying to take him down. He shook his head. Ridiculous. It was coincidence. Unfortunate events happened in Tokyo everyday and the event of a bad ambulance driver nearly killing a civilian was surely commonplace. As for the jolt of awareness concerning Subaru…perhaps his conclusions that the boy was in danger were unfounded after all. Nothing had been wrong with his prey; he had simply felt the approach of an out-of-control ambulance. He silently cursed his inward feeling of something he figured resembled actual worry. Denying its existence, he gathered his belongings. Picking himself up and wincing at the small cuts the broken glass had made in his side, he straightened his clothes. Ignoring the shouts of '_Sir! Sir! Are you all right?'_ he strode briskly in the direction of his living quarters, desiring nothing more than a hot shower and a steaming cup of coffee.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hokuto had had a very normal day. Yes, very normal aside from Subaru's suspicious behavior earlier that morning. Honestly, Seishiro and her brother were just plain stupid if they thought she hadn't noticed that something was up! First was the horrible screaming and then the strange non-existent wound on Subaru's eye, which they both swore had bled profusely. But when Subaru's bandages had been removed, there was not a trace of discomfort or injury to his eye. It was just so odd that she didn't know what to think. It did nothing to quell the dark anxiety that was churning in her gut. Actually, in retrospect, she realized that the unusual happenings went further than the incidents of the morning. The weird stuff, as her mind liked to refer to it as, had started the day they had gone on a picnic and Subaru had fallen into the huge fountain. The wrongness definitely went deeper than bad meat or molded bread.

She threw up her hands in frustration, ignoring the bizarre looks she got from passersby. She was going to express herself whether society accepted her or not. From her butterfly-motif tiara and outlandish hoopskirt right down to her every iota of emotional expression, she was Sumeragi Hokuto. And no one had the slightest hope of changing that.

But Sumeragi Subaru, her darling and super-cute brother--he was what she lived for. He was first in her life, and she would always care for him. From the time she had applied his first band-aid on his nose, she had decided she would always make him better. When he had a fever, sister was there with a cool cloth to place on his forehead. She didn't like to thrive on dark thoughts, but it was true that she would hurt for him, kill for him, and die for him. The bent clouds that had hovered over the Sumeragi apartment lately--half on part of Seishiro and half on part of something darker that lurked out of sight--she would just have to get to the bottom of it and wave it all away with her magic wand. She'd open the blinds and let the sunshine in, just like she always had when Subaru slunk out of sight and into shadow.

But something still wasn't right, and she knew it wasn't going to be as easy as usual to wrestle her twin from whatever clutches destiny was attempting to strangle him in. She didn't really understand what it all meant, but her stomach had taken to feeling a new kind of queasy discontent the past few days. She was no Head Onmyouji, but she was capable of quite uncanny ominous premonitions. Every time she thought of Subaru, she wanted to scream and kick and…simply _pray_. More so than usual, that is.

And with that final thought, she decided it was time to go home. Home to where Subaru was and home to where she could cook a delicious dinner for him and perhaps a tagalong Seishiro. She took a deep breath and skipped the last store she had planned to go to. She willed herself to ignore the huge thirty-percent-off hat sale that was going on. She rode the escalator down to the ground floor and made a beeline for the exit, her huge neon pink-and-orange hoopskirt somewhat hindering her progress as she shoved her way through the late afternoon crowd.

Much to her disgust, it was raining outside. She opened her decorative umbrella, which perfectly matched her outfit, and stepped out into the downpour. The wind whipped her layered hoopskirt and colorful array of ribbons around violently. She growled in annoyance before beginning the journey home to her apartment. A few minutes into her walk, she heard something strange. Shouts of panic and outcry. Her heart squeezed painfully with pity and she allowed her feet to follow the sounds. She doubted she would be of help, but--

And she came upon the scene. There was a crowd of people--some with umbrellas and some without. In the midst of them was a stationary ambulance with flashing lights. Medics were running this way and that, trying to push the frenzied onlookers back.

"What happened?" Hokuto murmured to herself, straining to see.

The woman in front of her was hyperventilating. "Someone jumped!" she squealed excitedly, as if the scene were a once-in-a lifetime thrill. "Someone jumped from that building! Is it a suicide!"

"I wonder what the person looks like now?" a high-school boy mused aloud, his tone laughing. "Did he go splat? Are his brains leaking across the concrete?"

Feeling nauseated, Hokuto shoved away from them. Of course, among the people who were actually concerned were ones who were there for the thrill. She knew how people behaved. But a person's life, or the loss thereof, wasn't a thrill to her. Had she been less urgent to find out what was happening, Hokuto would have loved to bring her spiked stilettos down on a very sensitive part of that teenage boy's body. However, she was too busy shoving toward the front to bother.

"I can't see, I can't see…" she kept chanting mindlessly, wondering why she felt it was so imperative she found out what was going on. Frustrated, she decided it was time to let the hoopskirt go. With a resounding snap and a few tears, she was free of it--her huge hoop of fabric being reduced to a small miniskirt. She unbuckled her shoes and left them behind as well. Come to think of it, the shopping bags weren't that important either. Leaving them behind with her other accessories, she got down on hands and knees and began to crawl. The ground was wet and some of the puddles were deep but she had to get to the middle of the crowd. She had to see. She _had_ to!

Halfway through, one of her long dangling earrings got caught on a man's trousers. Fearfully, she pulled away--yelping as the metal tore into her flesh. She kept crawling. And finally--she could feel it--she was almost there. Her heart hammered frantically in her chest. Pounding, pounding, pounding. Her heart was in her throat and the rational part of her mind demanded to know why she was so upset and so intent on _seeing_. Her heart told her mind to shut up.

And so she crawled beneath another person. She was finally at the center of the semi-circle crowd. Doctors in white suits were all bent in a small circle. She saw legs extending out past them--the legs of a tall man. Two of the doctors parted and she saw a flash of red on white gloves. Blood. Her heart was going to explode. There was blood. Had someone really fallen? She saw out of her peripheral vision that more doctors were coming with two stretchers.

_Two?_

"Good God," she heard the man behind her murmur. "That boy fell thirteen floors. God have mercy…"

_Boy?_

The doctors were bringing oxygen masks now. Hokuto slowly rose to her knees and then cautiously got to her feet. An emergency worker was waving her backward. She dodged him and rushed to the small circle of emergency doctors.

Not realizing what she was doing or why, she called out. "Hello!" Her voice was shaky and hoarse and desperate.

Her voice spurred a few of the doctors to turn toward her. One of them gasped aloud as he scanned her too-familiar face. He gestured wildly to the others doctors at the similarity. Not wasting another second, Hokuto peered forward. A pair of too-pale lips met her sight.

Her heart stopped beating.

The face was too pale and painstakingly recognizable. The hair was black but blood-matted and blood was running from his lips and forehead. He was as still as death and yet as beautiful as an angel. Her mind ran in circles, refusing to work correctly. There was blood on white gloves and blood on home-sewn black gloves. And blood on _his _face and arms. He was lying on someone else who was blurred to her mind and there was a pool of blood beneath _them_ both. Tears were rushing from her eyes and she was sure they made steam in the cold rain.

She was paralyzed and she was dying and she feared _he _was dead and she knew that if _he_ died that she would too. And words--terrible words--flew to her mind without permission and she wanted them to all go away but they wouldn't.

_Someone jumped from that building! _

_Is it a suicide?_

_I wonder what the person looks like now._

_Did he go splat? _

_Are his brains leaking across the concrete?_

She threw back her head and opened her mouth and let all of her air run rampant from her lungs. Like a wounded animal, like a dying animal, like a twin severed from her other half. Like a girl dying. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIGGH!" And then a choking sound between crying and screaming and brought on by hysterical grief. "SUUUBARUUUUUUUU!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seishiro raised his head at the familiar voice. "Hokuto-chan?" he wondered aloud. The echo was eerie and at first he wasn't at all sure that the raw voice he was hearing belonged to the female Sumeragi. But then, if he wasn't positive, the next well-known syllables struck his mind like a heavy blow.

_Subaru._

He cursed and broke into a run. His mind was ticking off all the ignored warning signs, and he called on the inverted pentagrams engraved into the boy's hands. They alerted him to the fact that the boy was just ahead, but he was in a motionless and seemingly unconscious state. He pumped his legs faster, earning groans from the people he splashed as he rushed past. He came upon a huge crowd of people in front of an up-scale town apartment complex. Pandemonium was the reigning emperor here. People were pushing and running and the ambulance was flashing, and above the murmurs he heard Hokuto screaming. What could cause her to scream like that?

What had happened to Subaru?

He roughly shoved person after person from his path as he made his way toward the center of the commotion. One man made a feeble stand against his urgency, but a simple well-placed blow to the head solved that rather quickly. He eventually stumbled upon a scene with many doctors. Hokuto, who looked a mess drenched and splattered with mud, was being held back by quite a few of them and she was crying uncontrollably. She struggled against them violently, scratching with expensively manicured nails at their already bleeding faces. Her grief-stricken eyes, so like Subaru's green ones, caught sight of him and spilled over with tears.

"SEI-CHAN!" she cried, pulling against her oppressors feebly. "Sei-chan! He fell! Oh, he _fell_! Help, help, help…" her knees were giving way as she lost strength and she sank to the ground slowly.

_He fell?_

His eyes snapped to the two figures being loaded onto the stretchers. One was a young man, perhaps about twenty years old, with dark features. Irrelevant. He let his eyes traveled to the next person. The other was an achingly familiar young boy with delicate features. Pale skin, slender arms and legs, soft neck, long eyelashes--all well known to the one who observed him so carefully so often. Blood was on the white suits of the doctors; it lay in a dark puddle on the shadowed ground. The rain was beginning to lap at it, making the area of red spread even wider.

And blood was on the boy too. On his chest and dribbling from the corners of his lips from beneath an intrusive oxygen mask. The skin was always pale, but now it seemed too pale--gray and ashen like a wintry sky. Those eyes needn't be closed with such finality either. It took Seishiro a long moment to realize that he was really staring at the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan.

He took a few steps forward, shoving the doctors away ferociously when they tried to hinder him. And finally he came to him--to Subaru. He knelt. Everything around seemed to fade away--the shouts, the screams, and the rain. Subaru was so pale, so unearthly. But he wasn't dead. Seishiro wouldn't allow that. He leaned over the pale, drawn body--pushing more emergency workers from his view. He stared for long moments at the face, willing the lashes to flutter and willing the lips to move. His golden eyes darkened as they flicked over his broken form.

Whoever was responsible for this would die.

He would see to it personally.

He moved closer, resting his head on Subaru's still, unmoving chest. Why wasn't it beating? His hands came up on either side of him, one resting on the boy's stomach and the other on his throat. There was no movement, no movement at all. Not even the flutter of a nervous pulse. Seishiro felt his mouth pull into an angry snarl. He felt his hand fist in Subaru's shirt. He was angry.

Seishiro was unaware of the hush that had fallen over Hokuto, the doctors, and the immediate onlookers. They all stared with open mouths at the strange man with the glossy eyes that was clinging to the young boy who had fallen from the sky in the black of night during a rainstorm. His face was skewed into a bent form of ragged grief, like a wild animal coming upon its wounded mate.

Then Seishiro felt hands pulling at his back and, even though he was a very strong man, he was torn away from the young Sumeragi. His hand tore the fabric of Subaru's shirt as he was pulled away. Hokuto watched as something feral and unsettling crossed Seishiro's face. She ran to him and clung to his arm.

"No, Sei-chan," she gasped, her sanity coming back to her in great pieces. She had to hold it together. Somehow she knew that Seishiro wouldn't. The rain dripped from her bangs as she nodded at the doctors to keep moving. Seishiro's biceps tensed against her fingers and she looked at him to find that his face was nearly expressionless. The only giveaway was his eyes. They were burning.

They watched as the two bodies were loaded into the back of an ambulance, the medics crawling around waving all sorts of IVs and wires in the air. Hokuto started forward, gripping the fabric of the lead doctor's shirt in desperation. "I'm coming," she said hoarsely. "I'm his sister."

The doctor nodded. Explanation was hardly needed on the girl's part. She was nearly identical to her brother. He had noticed right away. He led her to the back of the ambulance and helped her aboard. He noticed that another young man was following suit. It was the one who had manhandled his colleagues to reach the injured boy. He held up a hand to stop him. "Miss, is he a relation of yours?" The question was directed at Hokuto.

Not thinking, she shook her head.

"Very well. I'm very sorry, sir." He made to shut the doors but the young man persisted, sticking his foot in the rapidly decreasing space between air and door. The doctor frowned. Using the authority he had earned from years of med-school and experience at work, he boomed, "Sir! You are not a blood relation! You can meet us at the hospital. I'm sorry, but we must hurry!"

Seishiro's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. He said nothing, but lifted his body so he was halfway in the ambulance. It was already crowded so there was hardly room for him. "Subaru-kun," he growled.

"Sir!" The doctor was growing increasingly angry by the second.

Hokuto rushed forward and gripped the man by the sleeves. "Sei-chan, please!" Her eyes were dark and begged no argument. "_Please_. Just meet us at the hospital. _Please_!"

Seishiro looked at her as if he didn't recognize her. If she didn't know any better, she would wager that he was confused. But she didn't have the time to ponder that. She expertly directed the disoriented man from the platform, making sure his feet were securely on the ground. "I'll see you there, Sei-chan."

He looked at her with a strange light in his eyes. She felt sorry for him but shut the doors regardless. Subaru was first in her life, after all. She nodded as the doctor gave the order for the ambulance to go. Wandering over to the stretcher, she gripped Subaru's gloved hand. She cursed the fabric. Never had she been more desperate to feel her brother's warmth.

"_Why won't you breathe? I'm right here beside you, so why won't you breathe?"_

Outside, Seishiro watched as the ambulance sped down the street away from him. The rain pelted hard against his head. He had long-since lost his umbrella. He did however spy something he had dropped not far away. It was a shopping bag. It seemed ages ago that he had bought it--the coat for Subaru. The expensive double-breasted red coat--like Little Red Riding Hood. It was soaked now. He gripped it tightly.

_Subaru-kun._

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi rubbed his arms as he arrived in front of the bleak apartment complex. A crowd was dispersing near the front entrance murmuring excitedly amongst themselves. He pushed past them. He was drenched and sour and cold. He got on the elevator and pressed the buttons to get to the 13th floor. He brushed his dripping bangs back behind his ears, revealing two mismatched eyes. There was a little girl beside him and she raised her eyebrows at him. He ignored her. But as he was getting off the elevator, she suddenly smiled at him.

"You're really pweety, mistah," she giggled.

He didn't look at her as the doors shut. He turned and strode down the hallway, his boots making squelching noises on the carpet. It reminded him of blood. And blood reminded him of Seishiro. Why--why did he have to think of him? He shut his eyes. _Why_ had he retrieved that umbrella? Stupid and dangerous. He had noticed when Seishiro had lost hold of it--noticed and chased after it like a naïve kid wanting to please his crush. And then--_oh, God_--then he had gone and given it back to him! _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ He walked past room two and nearly jumped when a man came stumbling out.

"You gotta help me!" the man boomed, stumbling forward into him.

Kiyoshi moved back and the man pressed him against the wall. His mismatched eyes went wide as he stared at the heaving intruder.

"Boy--fell--window!" the man breathed raggedly. His eyes and eyebrows were dark. Wine was spilled across the front of his suit. "Oh--God--trouble!"

Kiyoshi tilted his head. A drunken man, he figured. Well, that was certainly no excuse to bother others. He made to move away but the man held fast onto the fabric of his black jacket.

"Noo--please, help! I'm Kurosato! Please--boy--fell! Didn't mean for--boy!" he screeched hoarsely, gesturing toward his room like a mental patient.

"I don't help people," Kiyoshi said quietly, turning his head to look away from the man.

Suddenly, the man--Kurosato he presumed--made a strangled sound, much like victims did when their throats were slit. He let go of his jacket and scrambled backward, mouth agape. He was stuttering and gasping for air. "You," he heaved, raising a shaking finger to point at him. "Y--You. _Oh, my God_."

Kiyoshi shook his head and scoffed. This was enough. He really had no time to deal with blubbering fools. He turned to leave.

The man took a deep breath. "SUMERAGI!"

Kiyoshi's eyes bulged.

"Sumeragi _Subaru_!" the man rasped, hands twisting clumsily at the front of his own wine-stained shirt.

Kiyoshi sucked in a breath. "What?" he whispered, turning back to him with murderous eyes.

"You are--Sumeragi! You look like him--no, you _are_ him! No, you--!"

Listening no more, Kiyoshi fled. He sprinted down to his room and flung the door open. Once inside, he pressed his back against the locked door and let himself slide slowly down. Exhausted, he rested his face on his knees. His heart was hammering wildly in his chest and his mind was whirling with panic. His hand slipped in the gap of his shirt and gripped the chained pendent around his neck desperately. His fingers ran absently across the engraving on the back.

_No, I'm not. I'm not Sumeragi._

_I'm not…_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

He hadn't meant for the boy to fall, no. _No._ It wasn't supposed to end like that. All he had wanted was a decent night--someone cute to share his bed with. He had wanted the pleasures of sex with someone beautiful. Maybe he would have snapped a few pictures but nothing too harmful. Not death. Certainly not murder, no… Oh, Gods, what had he done? _Gods._

All he could see over and over were those green orbs--shocked and terrified and growing so very far away. Light dimming, life escaping, hope ending. Oh, how he had tried to grab him before he fell. Oh, how he had tried! After that, he could only watch--only wince as he heard the sickening _crack_ moments later. And now the head of the Sumeragi was dead! And it was his fault. They'd surely come for him--blame him. But it was an accident! Would they believe him? An autopsy would find the drugs running through the boy's system and they would become suspicious. And he would be convicted--he would go to jail. No--it could be worse. The head of the Sumeragi was so important. Would he be killed then? Executed for his unforgivable crime?

And even if he escaped death…how could he live with himself? He had destroyed that boy. He had destroyed that beautiful boy. The one he had become so enamored with over the passing months.

_He had destroyed him!_

He knew he wasn't thinking clearly. His mind was breaking up--Hell, it had already had a few loose screws. That young man he had just seen could be none other than the Sumeragi…but maybe his mind was simply playing tricks on him again. He had watched the boy catapult through the glass, had watched him plummet to his unstoppable death. And now he found himself swaying without purpose toward the elevator. He knew what to do. He would go to America. He'd get a plane ticket. No one would know him there. He would get a new name, dye his hair, and move on. No one would catch him. He'd find a new obsession so those terrified green eyes would stay far away from his nightmares. He'd find a new angel.

He pressed the button of the elevator frantically. "Open, open, open--_damn you_!"

_DING._

He stared at the floor as the doors opened in slow motion (or maybe that was his sanity running away). Two black business shoes came into view. There was a puddle of water around them. He let his eyes travel upwards. Long legs clothed in black slacks. A long, black coat sagging with rain. Everything was dripping wet. One strong hand was gripping a shopping bag. When he met the eyes of the man standing there, somewhere inside he knew his time was limited.

Gold irises were burning with icy coldness. Indifference.

"Hello," said the man soothingly as he stepped out of the elevator. "Is something the matter?"

Kurosato opened his mouth to reply and found that all his saliva had evaporated, leaving his mouth excessively dry. "Help," he managed weakly. "_Help_."

The man grabbed his arm in a violent grip, fingertips grinding like blades against his forearm. "Help? Why…whatever is troubling you?" The voice was so very kind but it was laced with underlying danger.

Kurosato's mouth worked mutely as he walked toward his room. Maybe this man could really help him. Maybe this man was his _new_ angel. He showed him inside and robotically offered him wine. When the dark man nodded, he swept off to the kitchen and methodically poured plum-colored liquid into a broken champagne glass. But when he came back…when he came back his door was closed and the man's back was to him. There was something dark swirling in the air. He could feel it.

The man turned around slowly. The shopping bag was on the floor and there was something else in his hands now. He held up a small hat--a hat that Sumeragi Subaru had worn. "What's this?" he asked sweetly, golden eyes glittering in the darkness.

Kurosato started, his lips going numb. "Th-That's a hat I b-bought…_yesterday_."

The man smiled a horribly unkind smile then. "Oh, really? And what are _these_?"

Kurosato thought he might faint when the man held up the Sumeragi's shoes.

"They're _hardly _your size," the man pressed, stalking toward him with an air of violence.

Kurosato walked backward and backward, his shaking hand dropping the glass of wine. It shattered quietly on the carpet. The man was so handsome and so terrifying. He felt his back come into contact with a window ledge. The cold air swept in and bit his skin tauntingly. It was the broken window. The one Sumeragi Subaru had fallen from. The jagged edge of the window-glass still held droplets of his very-red blood. He gulped and looked up into the cold and beautiful golden eyes that were driving nails through his heart.

"I didn't mean to kill him!" he cried desperately. "You must believe me! Who are you! What do you want!"

"Didn't you know?" the man asked gently, mouth revealing a set of white, glinting teeth that shone ferociously in the darkness. "Subaru-kun is mine," his arm struck out like a cobra.

Kurosato was shoved backward. And then he was falling. And then he was screaming.

There was no one waiting below to save him.

END CHAPTER SEVEN.

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_Theme Song for this Chapter:  
_"_Funeral Song" by The Rasmus

* * *

_

Not much to say here. That was fun. A bit confusing but fun. I bet you all thought a lot of that was weird (especially regarding certain characterizations) but I'll explain eventually. I think. I read a survival story about someone falling thirteen floors and landing on someone. Both were hurt badly but survived. So what I'm trying to say is…it can happen, I've looked in to it. Most victims survive if they're in a state of total relaxation or half-paralysis. (Since Subaru was drugged and had been hit by a sakanagi, it actually improved his survival chances.) Compare to the drunk man coming out a car crash unscathed while the person he crashes into literally snaps. Anyway, still an absence of Steamy!SeiSub moment but maybe I'll write one next time. (grins sheepishly) It's just too dramatic right now for one. Here's the deal, many nice reviews equals a steamy moment! (laughs) I'm only kidding. I'm not that cheap. On to review replies!

**Ghost Whisper**--Wow! Yet another stunning review! Pardon me while I take a moment to hug you! (hugs) Ahem. Now. That was a most kind review. Erm, well I already said that, haven't I? I love how you give play-by-plays. It makes me giddy. Now I admit a giddy me is a bit dangerous, but every girl deserves to be sometime! You've given me such high compliments I don't know what to say! (Especially in regard to the matter of original characters and characterization.) Sorry about that last part. Once again, I hadn't really planned on it. It just wrote itself in like a child possessed. Heh-heh. Poor Subaru-kun. I guess I'm sadistic because I love to put him in tense situations. And as for Kanaye and Mashiro--I have an overactive imagination, so I can't help it if I create pasts and personalities for them. I'm so silly! Once again, thank you for the review and I hope I continue to write chapters that you enjoy.

**bitter-green tea**--(grins) It seems that bit about Subaru had everyone worried. Sorry about that. The bad thing is that I kinda liked it. Bad Tanuki! Bad! I love to watch my favorite characters suffer, what can I say? And Seishiro and Bitter!Subaru just had to meet. And yes, I felt that the "You're very kind" line was extra bittersweet. Poor Bitter!Subaru/Kiyoshi… He's been through absolute Hell and I won't give him a break. Glad you like the drama though. Maybe next chapter I'll lighten up on it. Heh. Thanks for always reviewing so kindly!

**Sakurazuka-chan**--Gah! Nee-san! Well, it was your fault. I never emailed you that dream. Hm. Need to do that. Let's just say it was very similar to the fic, but it had torn outfits and lots of red lights and then Seishiro was in it and he was freaking out cause Subaru was dancing against him and then there was much UST and sexiness. XD! See? It's all your fault! Damn me and my cliffhangers? (sniffle) But I love cliffies. Like Clifford the Big Red Dog. (Okay, Tanuki--you're losin' it.) Yes, two Sakurazukamoris. The tree is a double-crossing son-of-a-bitch. More yumminess to come in later chapters. Bwahahaha! Okay, I really need to stop typing. I'm going past my sanity limit. Thanks for reviewing, Nee-san!

**ZeroZeta**--Well, as you can see, neither Kiyoshi nor Seishiro saved him. What will happen to Subby-kun? That remains to be seen, I guess. (winks) Oops. Can't tell you Kiyoshi's plan just yet. You wouldn't want me to give away anything now would you? Besides, you will learn that as a person is faced with situations, he can easily forget his true wish. I know I'm cruel, but I'm not that cruel! (Ok, so maybe I am, but that's beside the point.) I'm glad you liked it and I hope you enjoyed this latest installment! (waves)

**Tekoo**--Don't worry about it! I'm just glad you took the time to even review. I adore you reviewers. I feel so unworthy since I'm such a lazy reviewer myself. (makes a vow to be better) I hope you did well on your exams! I know that they can be the pits. Ooh! And I'm very glad that you enjoyed the Kiyoshi!Subaru and Seishiro moment! (squeals) Feel free to post as many questions as you like! But no guarantees on my part of answering them--sorry. I will if I can, how about that? (winks)

**YaoiKitten**--Ooh! Thanks for catching those. Will fix when I get time. I hate typos. (Burn in Hell, typos!) Hahaha! Oh, man--you're so blunt when it comes to Mashiro and Kanaye on what you think they should be doing! (rolls on the floor laughing) Ahem. As for Subaru (Kiyoshi) jumping Seishiro, you'll just have to wait and see. It could happen. (Poor psychotic Older!Subaru.) Anyway, yes I enjoyed your YnM fic. As for God Child/Count Cain--I've heard of it. By the same person who wrote Angel Sanctuary I think. But I've never read it. Is there somewhere I can get translations/scanslations? Is the story good? Man, now my interest is peaked! I may read the fic anyway but I'd like to have some knowledge of the series first so I'll enjoy it more. (evil smile) Thanks for following my story and reviewing!

**Sakanagi**--Thank you! As for Kiyoshi's goal, I'm not entirely sure that even he knows exactly where he's headed. When one gets caught up in reality, dreams tend to take a backseat or they become skewed. It's good to remember that dreams can become twisted and confused. It may well be that Kiyoshi loses sight of a few things. (shrugs) But what do I know? I'm just the author. Poor Sei-chan. Mashiro had to rescue Subaru-kun in his place. I'm sorry that I babble. I really am. I don't mean to, I swear! Thanks for the review, that's the point I was trying to get across! Thank you!

**Hiruka-chan**--(smiles as she is huggled) Thanks! I'm glad it's refreshing. That makes me feel…nice. I simply have an overactive imagination, though. My teachers hate my way of thinking. Dammit, just because I challenge their opinions in discussion, they hate me. Oh, don't be sorry. Everything is open to interpretation and there's no guarantees that any translations are one hundred percent correct, even the one I gave a link to! This story is a sort of AU anyway. I just wanted to thank you for such a wonderful review!

**Subaru Sumeragi**--Both unfair and wonderful? What an oxymoron. The old woman has a purpose, I promise. Even though we may not know it for a while. And I won't tell you about Subaru. I will tell you one thing though: he fell down. (snickers) Okay so I know that you know that. I'm glad you have questions. It would simply suck if there were no curiosity. I'm glad you like this fic and I hope I don't disappoint in the near future. (cowers in fear) Thanks again for taking the time to drop me a line. I very much appreciate it!

**Subaru's Voice**--Oh, thank you so much! Oops. I haven't been keeping up over there have I? Bad Tan-chan! I'll fix everything...eventually. (Even though I've been promising that since…forever.) I love the SS Journal though. Really. It keeps me sane. I'm a heavy true SS-er. When I get sad or angry from seeing so much SK I retreat to my sanctuary. (Not that I have anything against SK-ers. Really. Ok, maybe a little--shuts ups) Where was I? Oh, yes--thanks again for reviewing!

**J.J. Blue**--Eep! That's a golden review. Thanks for such compliments! (blushes and hides under the table) I'm glad you like Kanaye and Mashiro--they have a story of their own. I just may tell it eventually. The Subaru-san and Seishiro umbrella part? I think I wrote it in above, but he retrieved the umbrella that Sei-chan lost. Sweet, neh? That old lady turned into a spitfire against my will. She was supposed to be sweet and mysterious but she turned into an old-lady version of Hokuto-chan! Hahaha. Well, as for Seishiro being embarrassed during an unexpected visit from our old lady, you'll have to wait and see. You're not far off the mark, I tell you. (winks) Kiyoshi is still wearing the pendant. (smiles) And he looks sexy wearing it, too. As for the Sakanagi… Nope, not telling. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Saiyaness**--(blinks slowly) A-ano… (blushes) Wowie. That's one of the best reviews I've ever had. (cries) You watched X anime, huh? Well, the ending wasn't the one CLAMP intended if that helps. They still haven't finished the manga, so you still have something to look forward to. Though they've had it on hiatus for a while. I hope that they'll be starting up again soon since they're putting Tsubasa and XXXHolic on hold this Januray to work on something. They promise us that the real ending will be different than both the X Movie and the TV Series. Mou! I hope they do well! You need to read Tokyo Babylon too, if you haven't already. Hands down, CLAMP's best work to date! They just don't make manga like that anymore. I ordered the Japanese version off eBay but the English is out till volume 5 I think and they do a pretty good job. Your review made me so happy! I read it yesterday and it inspired me to get on the ball and write this chapter! I really don't know what I can say to thank you. Your review was artsy and critique-ey (is that even a word, Tanuki?) and I loved it oh-so-much! (glomps you relentlessly) Butterflies, brain-overload--you've certainly given me those feelings yourself! I hope I don't disappoint you in coming chapters. (bows)

**Lusewen**--I still have much more to build though! Mwhahaahaha! (Stands stop a Lego-made castle. It crumbles and falls under her weight after several seconds.) Sub-san and Sei-chan and Sub-kun… Yeah, I can't wait to have them actually interact. (snickers) The air will be charged. When you add in Kan-chan, Ma-san, and Hokuto-chan, it only gets worse. (Her head starts spinning.) Anyway, I'll save that for later. (Clears her throat and points to next line.) _(and about that thing with the mirrors: I don't think you sound egoistical, nor unhealthy, nor plain vain -but maybe a little scary... just joking XD_) Lusewen-chan. You made me sound like a freak. But thanks for reviewing!

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: "What the Hell were you thinking?"_


	9. VIII Abstraction

_I'm dancing on a distant dreamscape and my feet leave footprints in the stranded snow. I'm barefoot but the cold cannot touch me. The snow turns to rain turns to ice turns to sky. And then…_

**Illusory Tandem**

Subaru was falling--falling into a gray expanse of nothingness. It was gray--neither dark nor light nor night nor morning. His eyes strained against the rushing air, but were unwilling to open because when they tried they would water with teardrops. Tears, which froze like icicles and bit at his skin with fangs like dark creatures.

He landed softly on a ground splattered with lazy snowdrifts. He could see and sense that the blankets were deep and yet he did not sink. He pattered across the bridges of white with ease, his feet leaving only the slightest indentation of his presence. The air was thick and thin at the same time. Thick enough to hinder vision, but thin so that one took it in great gasps just to receive the slightest value of oxygen.

There was dust in the air. And snow, of course.

As Subaru walked aimlessly down the path, distant bells punctuated the air. The bell chimes were of a low frequency with great gonging sounds. They were ominous and grand, yet not quite real--as if otherworldly entities were calling from the realm of sleep.

_Do you remember the world?_

_Tump. Tump. Tump_. Subaru felt that his footsteps were foreign and unwanted in this place. He was a foreign beast raging on pure snow--ruining perfection. Very becoming behavior for a human being, the cynical mind would persist. He stared outward as a space of thick air began to clear. And he saw water. It was a great expanse of water, and he was very far above it. Below, the water was thrashing against steel beams--crashing with such torrential force that he was almost sick watching it, knowing the support beneath him could crumble and disappear at moment's notice to send him straight to its mercy.

Then it would be him crashing against steel beams.

_(Do you remember the world?)_

As soon as the thoughts had taken form, the snow beneath his feet began to crumble and the ground began to shake. Something shapeless was dissipating like sugar in the hot tea Hokuto made for him every morning. Another rocky groan of the structure forced him to his knees. And then he was sliding sideways as the ground tilted like a gigantic pinball machine. He snagged twisted metal with his left arm. Then he was left dangling, hundreds of feet above dark, crashing blackness.

_Do you remember…or did you simply never know it?_

The tortured metal tore into the soft flesh of his arm. He felt strong wind bite his cheeks again and part of him wanted to let go--to descend into that forceful power below. But the other part wanted to climb, even though there was nothing to climb. He screamed as the loud thrums of the gongs grew louder, now answered by shots of higher-pitched, heavenly, tinkling bells. It was a chorus of something he could not yet know. Beautiful and yet frightening in intensity. But he wasn't supposed to be hearing it, not yet.

He blinked as someone appeared above him. Insane that the person could be there--suspended without restraint and without reason. Subaru couldn't see his face. He couldn't see much of anything except for the blurred outline of someone slim dressed in black. The wind was keeping his eyes closed again. Always, always the damn wind.

Something wet fell on his face and, unlike the desolate surroundings, it was warm. He reached up with his free hand, straining desperately toward the blurred savior. He could see his own breath before his lips, escaping in spiraling tendrils of steam. He tried to call for help, but it seemed the man suspended upright on the vertically slanted plane would rather not pay attention to him. He felt more of the warm liquid fall down on him. The droplets trailed down his cheeks like warm tears, sliding to the corners of his lips.

It tasted metallic.

He glanced upward then, only to see blackness--a void of dead nothingness. Dark bangs hid all but a thin, taut smile--stretched grotesquely across starving features. And then there was movement in the form of a hand. Black-gloved fingers moved like spindly spiders to his arm that was intertwined in metal. The bell chiming ceased for an eternal moment. Subaru sighed in relief as the anorexic fingers moved to free him from his blood-twisted prison. And he felt that soon he could float without restraint just like the one who was above him.

He was wrong.

That smile stretched wider in that long moment where he was freed. Nothing but a nightmarish jack-o-lantern grin glowing in the void of nothingness that was the sideways world. And then a flash of black eyelashes lifting over gray-green and brown-gold and then free falling with outstretched arms away from the tilted road.

_No freedom._

_No life without restraints…_

_…and no death without them either._

The gongs and bells returned with a boom, like a gunshot to the head or world-shattering thunder. Subaru saw colors rush past and the rapidly fading structure of metal and snow shimmered apart into millions of butterflies. It was a fluttering rainbow, much like a flock of birds one sees traveling south before winter. But oh-so-much more. Glorious colors painting desolate gray, melting ice and creating a new dawn.

_Rainbow._

The bells were deafening now. Like an old church, like an awakening, like song and like noise. Like nothing and yet like everything. (Color breaks the void and song destroys the silence.) Warming the heart with new sunshine, the sky burst into light.

Subaru smiled as his back broke upon the black waves, his vertebrae crackling like fire. He was being swallowed by coldness with only a brief at tomorrow's vibrancy. And before his eyes slunk below the musky waters that held power over him, he beheld a rapidly descending night sky. It held the moon and stars, but glowed red. Like Apocalypse.

And the butterflies died, falling one by one into the crashing waves, lifeless wings beating no more…just like him. A collision of dark and light--a surrender of life. The dawn was overpowered by the twilit night. The sky told of bloodshed and an _end_. All of the stars formed crosses in the sky, so much like the accessories Hokuto always pinned to his clothes and yet so much not alike. The moon was growing larger with a slender figure silhouetted before it, embracing a long elegant scythe. Jack-o-lantern smile.

Subaru coughed once before going under. There was fruitless struggle with the arms of violent darkness. And finally, he closed his eyes. He succumbed to the water, letting it wrap him like a lover's embrace. And distantly, so distantly, he heard voices calling him.

_Subaru… _

_Subaru-kun…_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seishiro swept lavishly through the hospital doors, rushing past an old man in a wheelchair with indifference. He was dressed in a dry black suit with a gray tie, having since changed from his sopping wet clothes. In his hand, he still held a damp shopping bag.

Stone-faced, he approached the front desk, speaking in hushed tones as he inquired about Subaru. The lady with the uninteresting face and the clipboard in her hands observed him nervously, eyes flicking to his face and back down to her paperwork. She told him to wait for a minute and disappeared through a back door. She returned soon after with a stern face.

"Sakurazuka-san, I'm very sorry, but Sumeragi-san is," here she paused, causing Seishiro's pulse to quicken just the tiniest bit, "still in emergency care. He should be moved to a room soon, but…"

"Look," Seishiro said gently, plastering on the most worried expression his features could allow, "please, just give me the room number he'll be moved to."

"I can't do that, sir. Only those of the immediate family are--"

Seishiro cleared his throat, eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "Give me the room number," he repeated, too innocently.

The nurse behind the desk raised her dark eyebrows, catching the flicker of malice in his voice. She adjusted her copper-rimmed glasses and pursed her lips. "Sir," her note held a hint of warning.

He leaned forward with casual dangerousness. "Madam," he began darkly, lowering his voice so that only she would hear. "It would be advisable to your _well-being _if you obeyed me promptly."

She scowled, slamming her hand down on an annoying little bell. In a matter of seconds, other employees flanked her. "This man is threatening me!" Her voice was shrill.

Seishiro tried to play the nonchalant gentleman. "Why, that's preposterous," he insisted cheerfully. "I'm merely asking for information."

"Sumeragi-san is high-security and in critical condition!" a man boomed, hand pressing silent alarm for security as he stared into Seishiro's burning eyes.

"He threatened to hurt me if I didn't give him information!" Again, the woman's voice was unbearable to listen to. Seishiro inwardly cursed. Obviously, he had let his demeanor slip, catapulting her into hysteria.

He glared at her. "I think you're jumping to conclusions. All I wanted was the room numb--"

"See! _See_! He admits it!"

Then, before he could turn around, Seishiro felt his arms being grabbed by men that were larger than him. He almost dropped his bag. He felt passing annoyance. The hospital sure was on edge, to be so hasty. Did he really permeate such a suspicious aura? He thought Hokuto-chan might have arranged things better than this. He felt himself being lifted off the ground. Now that was uncalled for. Why was he to be treated so roughly, and who were they to keep him from Subaru? After all, by mark and deal, Subaru belonged to him. It didn't matter how critical his condition was.

He wondered if he would've spared himself the trouble of dealing with people by sneaking in. A little illusion here, a little illusion there and he would be beside Subaru. If Subaru wasn't dead already. No. A simple fall, no matter that it was from thirteen floors above, wouldn't take Subaru from the world. He wouldn't think on it. Subaru's death belonged to him and to him alone. It was an exclusive pleasure that Fate had reserved only for him.

"I'm afraid," he said lowly, fastening a strong grip on either arm of his two captors, "that you're going to have to let me through to Subaru-kun." His hands burned the arms of the two security guards. Their eyes widened at the sensation, expressions a mixture of surprise and fear. It didn't take long for their anger to ignite after that. Men had a way of covering cowardice with aggression, Seishiro mused as the two guards turned on him.

Unbeknownst to Seishiro, the doors of the hospital doors had just been opened to receive a very high-class visitor.

"Let me through, please," called the deep, steely voice of an older man who was probably in his late early forties. He was an established businessman, and the people who weren't watching the drama unfold between Seishiro and the security guards immediately turned their attention toward him. He was a slender man with slicked-back bangs, and he was dressed classically in black attire with insanely polished boots. He held an air of dignity much like that of a celebrity. His hair was a deep black and his eyes were a hard and cold gray slate. A flurry of nurses rushed forward to meet him.

"Yoshido-san! You're here!" one called, gripping his arm and hurrying him forward.

"Well, of course I'm here! One of my most prized men has been hurt. Tell me, how is he?" the man boomed without patience.

"Oh, well…um," the nurse faltered. "Kuroki Mashiro-san is… well, I believe he's stabilized and--"

"Never mind that, I heard that there was another involved. Who else was hurt?" not waiting for an answer, he walked forward with a quickened pace. He passed a peculiar sight. Two large burly security guards were attempting to rough-handle a young man. Stopping in his tracks, he asked, "What in the devil's name is that about?"

Seishiro smirked as he resorted to a favorite dirty trick of his. He stomped defiantly down on Guard A's foot, grinning as he felt a toe joint gleefully dislocate. Guard B threw a punch. Seishiro was momentarily stunned at his audacity, but still managed to duck.

The nurse leaned close to Yoshido. "That man came in here demanding information about Sumeragi--the other boy that was hurt. And he threatened one of our nurses!"

Yoshido tilted his head. "But isn't that kind of treatment, on part of your guards I mean, a bit extreme?"

"Oh, no--we're a high security hospital," the nurse insisted trying to usher the man on.

Seishiro groaned as more security guards rushed in. He hadn't wanted to make a scene, really. Sakurazukamori tended to stick to the shadows, not partake in something so uncouth as a public brawl. "Really, gentlemen, won't you be sensible?" he pleaded charmingly. "I'm just trying to get to my Subaru-kun."

One of the lead doctors tried to get through, pushing past the guards. "Wait, stop this madness! My God! Sir, you never said you were related to Sumeragi-san--for God's sake!"

Seishiro tilted his head as two more men took hold of his arms. "I'm not," he said simply, smiling gently.

"Then what are you?" the doctor said exasperatedly, wiping the sweat off his brow with his sleeve.

Seishiro's eyes fixated on the doctor's seriously. His joyful smile disappeared and his eyes glowed in the overhead light. "I'm his _lover_."

There was silence then as shocked, bulging eyes settled on him. Seishiro almost laughed aloud at their stupefied expressions. Before he could muse on this any longer, a businessman was gripping his arm with surprising strength and pulling him away from all the confusion. A deep voice insisted, "He's with me," and then Seishiro was through another door and into a quiet hallway. He was almost reeling with dizziness. That had certainly been unexpected. The man beside him let go of his arm and they walked side-by-side for some precious few moments of peace.

He listened to the taps of the footsteps of the man beside him for a few dull moments, wondering at why he had decided to pull him along. He glanced sideways, an amused grin playing across his features. This day was fated to only grow stranger.

"You look stressed," the unfamiliar man said, shattering the silence. "Even your smile seems forced. Drop the act."

Seishiro narrowed his eyes, smile dropping, but not for the reason the man suspected. "Who are you?"

The man with gray eyes grinned humorlessly. "You don't know me? Ah, well, not all of us are up to date. I'm Yoshido Shigure."

Seishiro nodded at him mechanically. "Sakurazuka Seishiro."

Yoshido's eyes settled on Seishiro with mild playfulness. "You're wondering why I got you out of that and how, I bet."

Seishiro smiled politely, a mask hiding curiosity. "Yes, I'm afraid I am a bit confused as of to what your reasons were."

The businessman smiled. "Ah, well. I'm here for the young man that broke the fall of the boy that fell from the building. He works for me, see--very valuable, not to mention a trusted friend. And I heard that you were here for the boy that fell. So we have a goal in common, see? And it's not really fair that just because I'm high-class I get free access to who I'm here for. Besides," he chuckled to himself, "you seem much _closer_ to this _Sumeragi-san_ than I am to Kuroki-san."

Seishiro smiled darkly, eyes turning inward.

"Here's your stop," Yoshido said suddenly, pushing at a door to the right. "Looks like they just brought him in. You know information about important people gets mixed up with the nurses and doctors--I bet he's fine." His attempt to sound reassuring fell on deaf ears as the other man pushed past him roughly.

Seishiro peered forward into the low-lit room. A doctor was leaning over pale sheets tucked around a pale doll with red lips and delicate eyelashes. Seishiro's heart thudded when he noticed the intricate medical gadgets hooked sinfully into the boy--an oxygen mask and numerous IVs. Part of him wanted to rush in and rip the intruding monstrosities from the boy's beautiful body. But, seeing as that would jeopardize the boy's already fragile health condition, he restrained himself.

Hokuto was sitting in a swivel chair beside Subaru's bed and she looked absolutely exhausted. Her fluffy hair was drooping and she was dressed in a plain white tee shirt over oversized scrubs for pants. She hadn't gone home to change, it seemed. She had changed into the unstylish clothes the hospital kept on hand. That alone was cause for worry.

Yoshido rested a hand on Seishiro's shoulder. "Well," he said quietly, eyes resting on the sleeping Sumeragi with a gentle light akin to fondness. "I'll be going now."

"Thank you," Seishiro said automatically, stepping further into the room. Everything was calm inside. So unlike the frenzy in the lobby or the scene he had stumbled upon in the rainy street. The doctors acknowledged him calmly. Everything seemed under control. The only problem he could see was the paler-than-normal pallor of Subaru's skin.

Then Hokuto looked at him. "Sei-chan!" she said breathlessly. "You came!" She tried to rise from her chair but thought better of it when her legs refused to give her strength. "Sei-chan… Subaru's finally stable. He's been sleeping." She was speaking so quietly, she almost seemed like another person.

Seishiro walked past the doctor, who nodded at him as he exited with clipboard underarm. Seishiro pulled up a chair on the other side of Subaru's bed, feeling the rhythm of his own heart begin to beat normally for the first time in hours. He dropped his damp shopping bag on the floor beside his feet. He stared at the young Sumeragi for countless minutes, tracing his features with his mind, before turning back to Hokuto.

"A bit hard to get in here," he finally said, expelling a heavy breath.

"Oh, no! Seishiro-chan! I didn't think about putting you on the safe list!" She buried her face in her hands, voice straining with emotion. "I'm sorry. I was just so worried about Subaru! This time I really thought I might lose him! It's a miracle he's alive! Oh, God…"

Seishiro smiled benignly, scooting his chair closer to Subaru's bed. "It's all right. I always manage." He leaned over the prone form of the boy, lifting a gentle hand to brush the soft discoloration on his cheekbone. "I knew Subaru-kun couldn't leave me either," he added softly.

Hokuto looked up, eyes lighting with discomfort at the barely audible statement that reached her ears. "Subaru could never leave _us _so soon," she added tiredly. "I'm just so exhausted I don't know what to do!"

Seishiro smiled. He painted on his most gentle expression. "Hokuto-chan, everything's fine now. Why don't you go home and clean up? You're still damp from the storm and you're wearing scrubs of all things! I'll watch over Subaru-kun until you get back. Plus, you need to call Obaa-chan and assure her things are fine now."

Hokuto's eyes wavered for a few seconds, a refusal forming on her lips. But then Seishiro stroked Subaru's hair with the softest look on his face that she had ever seen. She sighed, letting the tenseness drain from her shoulders. "I suppose I could use a shower," she relented, standing up.

"Take my coat," Seishiro insisted, gesturing to the black fabric draped over the end of Subaru's hospital bed.

Hokuto smiled and shrugged the dark material on. "I definitely need to hide this fashion atrocity," she giggled, regaining some of her usual energy. "Me in a tee shirt and scrubs? It'd be the end of my outrageous rep!"

Seishiro shook his head in mock disapproval. "Now, now, Hokuto-chan. Since when did you care what people thought of you?"

She managed a weak smile. "I don't." Slipping on a pair of shoes, she walked hesitantly toward the door. "Take good care of him, Sei-chan," she said seriously. "And call me if anything, and I mean _anything_, happens."

Seishiro raised a friendly salute. "You have my word."

She shuffled out the door but reappeared after a few seconds, leaning in the doorway with a friendly smile. "And Sei-chan?"

"Yes?"

"I'll talk to the doctors about you. You won't get kicked out." Her cheeky grin was still a bit weak.

"Thank you, Hokuto-chan," he said quietly.

"Take care of Subaru. I'll be back as soon as possible!"

He closed his eyes and smiled again. "Goodbye, Hokuto-chan."

When she left, all was quiet except the _beep' beep'_ of the machines. Seishiro rested his arms on the edge of the bed, letting his elbows sink into the softness. Subaru looked so pale and sickly in the white hospital gown. The bruises on his cheek and arm especially stuck out against the otherworldly paleness that the rest of the picture, minus blinking machine lights, painted. "My Subaru-kun," he said softly, "you've really gotten yourself beat up this time."

The answer was merely quiet beeping and shallow breathing.

"I do hope that person that saved you is all right. I'd hate to see the guilt you'd experience if it ended up otherwise. Not that you probably won't feel guilty anyway, mind you." He sighed and rested his head on top of his arms. Idly, he threaded his fingers through Subaru's smaller ones. He smiled as he felt the soft fabric of the gloves. It seemed that the doctors were at a loss when it came to removing them.

He chuckled and rubbed the palm of his other hand over the firmness of Subaru's stomach. His palm made slow, smooth circling motions. He felt his eyelids grow a bit heavy the more he gazed at the sleeping Sumeragi's face. So fragile, like a China doll it was. So…

His eyelids finally drooped closed and the rest of his body slumped forward in one motion. Sakurazuka Seishiro had fallen fast asleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The landscape was dark. Seishiro could hardly see anything, even with his tuned nocturnal attributes. _Crunch. Crunch._ He was walking on snow by the sound of it, he deducted. He strained his eyes to see through the shrouds of darkness. He could dimly make out the bent forms of ragged trees bereft of leaves. He heard a low rumble and directed his eyes toward what seemed like its source.

The horizon, or what seemed like the horizon, suddenly glowed orange. A red moon rose defiantly, staring Seishiro down with impeccable haughtiness. It was no longer pitch-dark at least. He felt the air charge with electrical energy. Spinning, he glanced behind him. No one. So why did he feel as if he was being watched?

Soft footsteps. Ah, so then there _was_ another person. He could feel his approach. There was a tinkle of soft bells, like wind chimes in summer. He looked up, eyes dangerous, as the dark form approached. The stranger appeared--form silhouetted against the moon. He was thin, nearly skeletal, and he gripped a long weapon, which was scythe-like in appearance.

"Who are you?" Seishiro's question was sharp, his voice unwelcoming. Yet the stranger didn't answer. He stopped walking and merely stared at him. "Who are you?" he asked again, his voice louder.

The figure shook his head and raised his weapon. With a smooth and quick downward stroke, he struck the snowy ground. The wounded soil immediately spurted blood, like a small geyser. And then the rumbling was back. Seishiro nearly lost his balance as the earth pitched in violent tumult. He heard crackling noises, as if the ground itself were splitting open. Steam began to rise up around the scythe. It made a soft hissing noise as the snow melted. The figure smiled--a nightmarishly taut grin glowing in the darkness.

Then the rumbling reached deafening decibel levels and the ground shook with monstrous ferocity. With a sharp crack, the ground split completely open, widening fault-fashion. Seishiro could hear the roar of fire and then the ground beneath him crumbled. He fell.

He just barely managed to snag the side of the cliff before being doomed to descending into the chasm. He climbed with difficulty back onto solid ground. Raising his head, he noted that the sakura tree of the Sakurazukamori family had appeared out of the inky darkness, looming directly above him, its great gnarling black roots twining above and below ground. He took air in great gasps, his confidence shattered.

He stared across the chasm at the half-lit character holding the scythe. It raised an arm and extended it, pointing at him accusingly. Seishiro felt confusion and a strange, inappropriate-given-the-situation sense of wonderment. The finger pointed at his feet and Seishiro reluctantly allowed his eyes to travel there. He could see the raging fire and the lava and steam rising from the chasm. He, much to his unsettlement, also saw faces--so many faces in the fires.

_Clank._

"What?" Seishiro whispered as he felt something wrap around his ankles. Chains. "What?" he said again, with a barely perceptible note of growing panic. The chains grew out of the fires and they burned through his clothes to his skin. Then the chains began to pull. Seishiro grabbed hold of whatever his hands could grab before being pulled over the cliff. He was suspended there, wrapped in chains and gripping some unknown safety. He heard the sickening splash of lava as it erupted upward and splashed the soles of his feet. He opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out. There was much pain. He briefly wondered if he even had feet anymore.

He growled as the darkness began to creep closer. He gathered his strength and pulled on what he realized was a tree root, hearing his bones creak with the threat of snapping. He roared as he threw his back into survival, feeling some satisfaction as he reached the side of the cliff again. He was not going to go down so easily. There was, again, the sound of tinkling bells from somewhere far away, and he forced his eyes open. They stung because of the heat.

Above, leaning over the cliff, was the face he had least expected to see. That face was pale and angelic and glowing. It, no--he was a pale doll made of glass. He was dressed in his white, equally glowing shikufu. There could have been white wings extending from his back and Seishiro would have not been surprised. As it was, Seishiro could only blink at the light shining above him in the darkness. Those transparent green eyes shimmered in worry and confusion as they looked down on him, and for the briefest of moments Seishiro was ashamed of his predicament.

Then a pale hand reached for him and Seishiro forgot everything else.

His own warm hand reached for and gripped the small, cooler one. He could feel Subaru latch onto it desperately and give all of his strength into saving him. It seemed to do no good. Seishiro began to inch away back down into the opening of fire. Subaru opened his mouth and said something that Seishiro could not hear. Seishiro frowned as Subaru leaned further down, his entire upper body hanging over the ledge, hands snatching at Seishiro greedily. No, his mouth kept saying. _No._

Seishiro's eyes widened as his chains began to grow again. Oh God, his mind said as they spiraled above him like snakes toward Subaru. He opened his mouth to call out a warning, but it was too late. The burning chains wrapped around Subaru's midsection and he screamed as they branded into his skin. Let go, Seishiro kept saying, his voice playing on emotion but not quite reaching the pinnacle. Let go of me, Subaru-kun.

_Let go of me._

Subaru didn't listen. Instead, he screwed his face into a picture of grief and reached further, both of his hands intertwining with Seishiro's own. Seishiro could hear the boy's cries now. He watched as the glowing light was taken from Subaru, devoured by Hell's chains. "No, Subaru-kun," Seishiro kept chanting endlessly, though the dialogue was futile. "No… Let go of me. You're dying."

He was only shutting his eyes against the heat, he told himself--not because of Subaru's expressions of pain. He was mildly confused as of to why Subaru was going through such trouble to save him--he was only killing himself in the process. So confusing. So confusing. Why? Why? _Why?_ What was that untouchable and unreachable idea shining in those eyes? What made those emotions tick? Why did they even exist? And why was Seishiro bereft of them?

_Thud._

He winced at the sickening sound. It reminded him of when he murdered people--his hand squelching with force through his victims' chests. He heard a small cry and he was suddenly afraid, yes _afraid_, to open his eyes. A series of wet, disgusting noises followed after the initial thudding sound of brutal force.

Seishiro opened his eyes.

He saw Subaru, but something wasn't normal. There was a sickle-sharp blade through his chest and his eyes were wide-open in pain. Seishiro's eyes traveled along the weapon, up the handle, and finally settled on the murderer. The black figure was leaning over the edge and fixing him with an insane smile. Then, before he could think on it any longer, the figure swung his weapon upwards with Subaru still hooked on it. Seishiro felt himself being lifted upward as well. They both landed back on solid ground, but Subaru wasn't moving. With a grotesque noise, the black figure removed his scythe from him. Subaru cried out pitifully--the sound echoing--and then he moved no more.

Seishiro leaned over him and shook him. "Subaru-kun," he called hoarsely, quietly. "Subaru-kun, wake up." But Subaru did not wake. His ceremonial robes were stained deep red. There was no heartbeat; the heart was no longer intact. Seishiro growled deep in his throat, an inexplicable anger threatening to incinerate his entire being.

"You," he looked up at the intruder. "You…you…_you_!" But before he could make promise on his unspoken threat, a hand had lurched forward. The cold gloves of the stranger gripped his chin harshly. "What do you want from me?" Seishiro managed in a whisper, eyes burning with hate.

_What do you want from me?_

The hand traced his jaw lovingly and then shot towards his chest. Seishiro felt fingers claw through layers of skin and muscle and clench around his heart. Then, with a deft motion, it was gone. His heart was pulled from his chest, through splintered and terribly broken ribs. His vision blurred as he fell forward, and he felt the chains pulling at his ankles again. Before he failed he saw, by red moonlight and fading angel light, two eyes--one gray-green and one brown-gold--and white teeth tearing into red muscle. Distantly, there were bells and a faraway voice calling for him.

_Seishiro…_

_Seishiro-san…_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seishiro awoke breathing heavily. His eyes darted wildly before he realized where he was. He was in a hospital room. His eyes fell on Subaru. Quickly, he whipped the covers back, searching the body for signs of injury. He let out a breath of air when he realized everything was all right.

Mildly annoyed with himself, he slumped back into his chair. For one who never remembered his dreams nor cared if he had any, that had been unnerving. Never had he recalled a vision so vivid and so unsettling as that. And why had the prospect of Subaru's death bothered him so? No, his mind insisted. It hadn't really bothered him--not in a sentimental sense. It was the simple fact that someone else had stolen the kill from him that had angered him. Not to mention the same person had also ripped his heart out and, if he remembered correctly, begun eating it. How morbid, he thought.

"Seishiro-san."

He jumped at the soft, lilting voice. His eyes flew to that beautiful face, whose eyes were now open and alert. His heart did a peculiar thing, but he supposed it was a side effect of the unusual dream. "Subaru-kun," he greeted, nodding his head slightly.

Subaru's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Seishiro-san," he sighed, immensely relieved to see the older man's face.

"How long have you been awake?" Seishiro asked politely.

"Longer than you," the boy laughed softly, a bit weakly. He blushed then, twiddling his thumbs nervously. "Was there some reason you jerked the covers off me? It's cold."

Blinking, Seishiro realized that he had forgotten to cover the boy back up. He was silently disturbed that he hadn't realized Subaru had been awake all this time. That dream must have really got to me, he mused. He leaned over with a smile. "My apologies, Subaru-kun. I was merely checking to see how badly you were injured." He pulled the covers up around Subaru's slim, shivering body. He tucked the fabric around his limbs and chin. "Better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," Subaru answered meekly, eyeing the older man questioningly. "Hokuto-chan and the doctor just left," he said quietly. "They told me everything that happened. My right arm is shattered and I have two broken ribs. They say I'm recovering well, though."

"Nothing less from the Head of the Sumeragi Clan," Seishiro said with chipper smile. He noticed that some of the IVs and machinery had been removed from the boy. The oxygen tube was gone, too. He was recovering well indeed. Any normal person would have been flabbergasted. The doctors had probably freaked out. He stretched. Falling asleep in such a position had put a crick in his neck.

"Seishiro-san? Um…" Subaru twiddled his fingers in embarrassment. "Are you all right? I was going to slip a pillow under your head and um… You seemed to not be sleeping well. Everyone left you alone, saying to let you sleep but I wanted to wake you and um…" he trailed off.

Seishiro laughed softly, grabbing one of the boy's hands. "Thank you, Subaru-kun." He glanced at the new sunlight streaming in through the window, following one ray as it landed on part of Subaru's face. "I can't believe I slept so long. Why, it's already morning!"

The boy nodded. He was still shivering. Seishiro raised an eyebrow at this. "Are you cold, Subaru-kun?"

He smiled bravely. "Not really. They told me it's lingering, that's all…after everything that happened. It's not so bad."

Seishiro smirked and leaned far over the boy; he was a looming figure. "Subaru-kun," he said deeply, reaching out a finger to stroke a delicate cheek. "You're freezing."

Subaru closed his eyes at the touch. It was so warm that he had to fight not to lean into it. "I-It's really n-nothing," he protested. He gasped aloud as he felt the older man ease him over to make more room. The creaking of the bed signaled that Seishiro was settling his weight beside him. Then, a warm arm was wrapping around his waist. He opened his eyes to see a brightly smiling face leaning directly over him.

"Is this a little better, Subaru-kun?" Seishiro asked, being careful of the boy's IVs and injured arm.

"U-uh…" Subaru choked, staring widely. It was oh-so-much better than before, his mind insisted. Seishiro-san was so warm and comfortable. His cheeks flooded with color just thinking about the situation. After a few seconds of stammering, he threw caution to the wind and snuggled as close to the source of warmth as his body was able. He whimpered, letting his brave front crumble slightly. The past week had been too much for him. And Kurosato's actions--he didn't know how he was ever going to tell anyone what had transpired. It was so embarrassing and unprofessional! There was no excuse for it. He was the Thirteenth Sumeragi Clan Head; he was supposed to be able to protect himself!

Seishiro observed Subaru's trembling form and pulled him closer. "What's the matter, Subaru-kun?" he asked gently. "Is this bothering you? Perhaps I should get up."

Subaru shook his head and wrapped his good arm around Seishiro's neck with surprising strength. Seishiro gently supported the other broken arm so Subaru wouldn't hurt himself in his attempt to get closer. Subaru's head burrowed itself in the crook of the older man's neck desperately. He was sniffling and his tears were cool on Seishiro's skin.

"No, no, no…" Subaru choked weakly. "Don't go…"

Seishiro kissed the tuft of hair on the head that was nuzzling his chin and rubbed his hand across the boy's back soothingly. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere." Half of Subaru was settled on him, so the man saved them both discomfort and rolled so that he lay flat on his back with Subaru directly on top of him, chest to chest. The IVs really were annoying, but Seishiro bore the discomfort with another smile.

Subaru tried to talk but gave up the effort and leaned in, his legs loosely hugging Seishiro's waist. But he was too distraught to be embarrassed. His emotions and fears had suddenly come spilling out when those warm, strong arms had encircled him. To his mortification, his eyes were beginning to leak salty tears with more urgency than before.

Seishiro groaned, the Sumeragi's tears bringing back memories of his fatuous dream. Wings and white and fire and blood--all trapped in the eyes of that murderous stranger. He shut off that part of his mind. He could feel Subaru breathing against him and the sensation made him a little light-headed. He roused his sensible side. The sensations that were attacking his all-too-human body were not needed at such a time; he needed to control himself. But Subaru's legs tightened around his waist and he couldn't help but groan. It seemed as if he hadn't seen Subaru in so long…

Subaru raised his head and looked at Seishiro then, his cheeks glowing red at the older man's reaction. "Sei…shiro…san?" he said timidly, eyes blooming with confusion. He tried to raise himself enough to prop on his good arm, but two strong arms came around him and enveloped him in a warm embrace, pulling his face back down to rest against Seishiro's Adam's apple. He breathed in, reveling in the clean scent of the older man. "Seishiro-san…" he sighed. It was amazing really, he thought--the difference in being in the arms of Kurosato and the arms of Seishiro.

Seishiro gripped Subaru's back feverishly, wondering what had come over him to suddenly feel so… so… Now what was the word he was looking for? He almost chuckled as Subaru rubbed his smooth cheek against his neck. Very, very cute. Then he smirked as he felt Subaru smile against him.

Subaru forgot that he was injured. He forgot that he was in a hospital where anyone could walk in at any second. In fact, he forgot everything--his nightmares and his fears. Seishiro's arms tightened around him even more and he gasped. Seishiro pulled him up so that they were face to face.

"Subaru-kun," he whispered seductively, dipping his face to nip at the soft flesh behind his ear.

Subaru jumped, heart racing to life. "Ah…ah…" he whimpered desperately, limbs reducing to jelly at Seishiro's advances. His heart hammered in frenzy, and his stomach flopped around like a carp-fish. He collapsed against him, mewling lightly as a warm tongue probed his earlobe. "Ah…_ah_!"

Seishiro laughed deep in his throat and closed his eyes, gripping Subaru even tighter when the poor boy began to tremble uncontrollably. His eyes flew open again when Subaru squeezed his thin legs around him firmly. Subaru's eyes flew open too and he tried to pull away, but Seishiro wouldn't let him.

Not forgetting the indecency that was a hospital gown's reputation, Seishiro pulled the covers over them both. Then, he decided to take advantage of the thin gown and its openings, almost laughing at the squeaks Subaru emitted when he did so. Seishiro was thoroughly enjoying himself. He was in control here, not like in that vision of death and a stranger.

"Are you still cold, Subaru-kun?" he asked, voice husky with desire.

Subaru answered with restless panting. "N-n-no…" he stammered. His head was reeling and the world was spinning. Seishiro was in front of him and in his head when he closed his eyes. He lived too in the heart that was throbbing so mercilessly. And then Subaru felt his neck being kissed…wetness sliding all the way down to his collarbone. And then one warm hand was sliding in the opening of his hospital gown on his lower back. "S-Seishiro-san!" he complained loudly, shocked at the man's audacity.

Seishiro gazed at him lazily, his eyes glazed with mischievousness and avarice. His hand caressed smooth skin lovingly. And then, keeping his eyes glued firmly to Subaru's wild and faltering ones, he let his hand explore further down and further…

"Excuse me? Oh, Holy--!" a foreign voice yelled in shock. The doctor took in the sight before him and raised his clipboard as if to shield his eyes. "Oh, God!" he said again, voice wavering.

Seishiro shot a dirty glare at the intruder, his instincts telling him to simply kill the man. Too bad it wasn't an option. He blinked down at Subaru's frozen form and brightly burning face. Hastily and carefully, he extricated himself and moved the boy off of him. He meekly rose from the bed, thanking God he had pulled the covers over them when he did or the doctor would have been even more traumatized. He tucked the covers around Subaru, just as he had done earlier and backed off to straighten his own clothes.

"You can look now," Seishiro called to the rigid doctor who still had the clipboard in front of his face. He smiled cheerfully. "Sorry you had to see that."

"Oh, God," the doctor moaned, straightening his glasses. In a whirl, the words of Yoshido Shigure, the man he had just spoken to in Kuroki Mashiro's room, flew to his mind. Yoshido had mentioned that the man called Sakurazuka was Sumeragi's lover. He had laughed if off. After all, Sumeragi was just sixteen, and Yoshido had always been a joker. But now…oh, his eyes were burning from the sight! He would never have believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. The young Sumeragi had seemed so sweet and innocent…

He lowered his clipboard, staring blankly from Sumeragi, who had taken refuge behind the thin bed sheets that hid his face, to Sakurazuka, who could have been whistling for all the innocence that shone from his eyes. Part of him wanted to scold them--especially the older man--for such recklessness when the boy was still in such questionable condition. There were IVs and a shattered arm and all sorts of things to worry about. He wanted to scream _What the Hell were you thinking?_ But there was a flicker of something in the man's eyes that warned him away from that course of action.

Gathering his breath and straightening his shoulders, he strode across the room to the bedside. "Sumeragi-san?" he addressed the shivering form underneath the sheets, "I need to take your blood pressure."

There was reigning silence then. The doctor discerned that the boy was furiously shaking his head negatively under the covers. The doctor cleared his throat awkwardly, wondering if he should come back at a later time.

"Come on, Subaru-kun," Seishiro cooed from beside the doctor. "We need your arm."

Ever so slowly, a scarlet arm emerged from the safety of the blankets. It was trembling. The doctor wondered if the boy's whole body was blushing. After all, his arm had certainly adopted the trait. He did a few tests thereafter, including taking the boy's temperature, which proved to be rather high--though it was probably due to his incessant blushing. It was all the doctor could do not to sprint to the door when his work was done.

Seishiro watched him go with an unreadable expression. When the door shut, he burst into jubilant laughter while Subaru slunk further beneath the covers. A minute later, the door reopened to reveal Hokuto, fully outfitted in a creation that was the hybrid child of a nurse and a maid's design. She grinned evilly.

"What's so funny?" she asked devilishly. "And why was that doctor that just left here so pale?"

Seishiro made a definitive pout and sighed as he plopped down in a chair. "He was put off by my determined dedication to Subaru-kun," he whined.

"I thought as much!" Hokuto announced happily, sounding as if she had just won the lottery. She noticed Subaru hiding underneath his bed covers and giggled. "Your love is just perverted and strange no matter how you look at it! Ohohoho!"

Subaru made a sound between a cry and a groan.

"So, Sei-chan, how badly did you embarrass Subaru?" she asked excitedly, prancing over to him and leaning on his arm.

Seishiro dramatically posed his arms and let a fake tear slip from his eye. "I merely did the same thing I always do--proclaiming my love for my Subaru-kun under the stars, with all the gods as my witnesses!"

"Hyu! Hyu! That's our Sei-chan! You'll win Subaru's love yet!" Hokuto cheered, nearly faltering as she tried to keep up her boisterous act. She hopped to Subaru's bedside and jerked the covers from his grasp, revealing his face and torso. He was still glowing red. She laughed outrageously at the sight. "He really hit your heart with his arrow this time didn't he, Subaru?"

"H-H-Hokuto-_chan_!"

END CHAPTER EIGHT.

* * *

_Theme Song for this Chapter:  
_"_Before the Dawn" by Evanescence

* * *

_

Hi all. Whew. Had to ride that roller coaster down a bit. I got carried away with all the drama in the two previous chapters! This chapter is a bit different in terms of atmosphere compared to the others, mainly because of the dreamscapes implanted within it. A great many of you may hate spending time in the abstract space, but it is necessary for my plans. I decided to prolong the rest of the action--it was all building much too quickly. But those who were pleased with the previous atmosphere do not worry--I will (try to) visit it again later.

Again, I'm not one hundred percent pleased with this chapter, but I need to move on. This functioned as an awkward patch. Like the characters merely slapped flimsy band-aids on the wounds--both externally and internally. Next chapter I'll deal more seriously with the realities of the injuries of both Subaru-kun and Mashiro. Just in case you're wondering at the absence of Subaru's concern for the one who saved him, he doesn't know that he was saved. And also, he's keeping to himself that he was hit with a sakanagi. Maybe he'll spill the beans next time.

Until then, thanks for all the wonderful, astounding reviews!

**Subaru Sumeragi**--And it's a mini-Christmas for me when you review so kindly! Yes, Subaru fell. And yes, yikes! You felt bad for that worthless, cold-hearted assassin? Wow. Mission accomplished. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. I hope you continue to! And thanks so much for commenting! Hey, if you guys review my stuff the least I can do is reply.

**Hellcat81**--Thank you! I'm fond of Hokuto-chan as you can tell. Kurosato (the pervert-man that drugged Subaru-kun) was not in the manga. All of the scenarios (mostly) that I've used so far in this story are not from the manga. Sorry! Still, thanks for dropping me a line. I give you a special oatmeal cookie. And if you don't like it, then you can have chocolate chip!

**Sakurazuka-chan**--Hi, nee-san! UST! UST! (and more) And, oh my God, that Twister competition nearly killed me. I wanted Seishiro to justjump on Subby-kun! (ahem) Anyway, you'd better write another chapter soon. Let me think--what was I about to say? (mind is clouded with dirty thoughts) Oh, yes! I am mean to Subaru! I have a thing for making my fave characters suffer. What can I say? At least you like it, right? (giggles)

**Hiruka-chan**--The sad thing is that Kanaye really is a dumb blonde. Mashiro calling him a blonde enigma is about as insane as Subaru becoming Sakurazukamori. And--gah! You found the teenage boy's quote amusing? Eeew! But I get where you're coming from I guess. Maybe. (chuckles) Thanks for reviewing.

**Saiyaness**--(blinks) I only got HALF of it? Dang, you outdid yourself then! I was so pleased with the half of it I was able to read! I think ate it--even in my email. Oh, my gosh. Reading your words…I just want to cry. You have an eloquent way with them, you know? Rhiannon-chan, you inspire me! I can't really go in-depth here I don't think--because I'm so speechless/typeless! You say the storyline is unraveling well. I hope it continues that way. You empathize with Sei-chan though? That secretly scares me! (laughs) You can sympathize with his insuffereable rage, you say? (shivers) Nah, I can be possessive too. Man oh man! I simply can't do you justice! I'm so grateful to your wonderful words! I'll continue saying thank you, but I want you to know what I feel!

**MissAyanami**--Haha! No, it's not wrong of you! But then it might have looked bad for poor Kiyoshi! It's already bad enough that all this happened rooms away from where he just started living! Or it might have looked like our little Subaru-kun did the deed. (Oh no!) It's a nice thought. You might want to keep an eye out for that in the future (if our friendly neighborhood sakura tree has anything to say about things, that is). Thanks for reviewing (and with wit too)!

**Haru**--Wow. (head starts to spin) Whoa, whoa, whoa! Sensory overload! You've said nice things, and for that I thank you! As for the conversation on possession, I think that every human being tends to claim things, at least mentally. I know I do. I can feel my selfishness so poignantly at times that it almost makes me ill. Haha! But of course I had to let Sei-chan have his day in the end. I'm such a sucker! XD! Thanks for reviewing!

**Chibis Unleashed**--Don't be sorry! And why would I hurt you? Do I come off as the evil sort? Do I? Thanks for lending your support! I'm just glad you read it! And you reviewed! You don't have to review every time! We all have lives! (Even me, believe it or not!) Don't you realize how special to me even one review is? I'm just thankful for support. So...thank you!

**The Plague Bride**--Hey, you have a catchy name. And you added this to your favorite stories? Thank you so much, sweetie! Sakurazukamori Subaru is certainly a wild card. He's a touch cookie to decide how to portray. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. I hope you continue to let me know how I'm doing! Thanks so much!

**J.J. Blue**--When I saw how long the review you left was, my jaw dropped. Seriously. It hit my keyboard. I loved writing that chapter. It was one of those rare instances where there is no planning and the story just runs away with itself. And wow--you certainly broke it down nicely. I love when people tell me exactly what they liked and why! (huggles you insanely) Anyway, I loved putting that scenario together. Secretly, my true self wanted to have Subaru wake up just to see the reactions of his loved ones. But that was far-fetched, not to mention anti-climactic. And poor Kiyoshi--he's fallen backstage for a while the Tokyo Babylon trio sorts through their problems. Little do they know that he's about to add gasoline to the fire. And about the coat--I love that too! I can't wait to write the resolution to that next chapter! It makes me laugh that you imagine Hokuto and Kanaye as friends. We'll get to see that fated meeting next chapter! (Yay!) And all of them modeling…together… What a thought! The mere thought makes me drool. (I'm such a pervy girl.) I want to hug Seishiro, too. But there's that constant threat of him sticking his arm through my chest. (makes a sad face) Anyway, thanks for the astounding, oh-so-miraculous review! You get a gold star! And I love you!

**Sakanagi**--Thanks! Too bad the boring moments made themselves present in this chapter! It felt like such a let down after so much action! Mou! As for your comment on the engaging TB trio versus Kiyoshi--just wait until they meet! Gah! It gets my blood pumping! I'm excited to write it! As always, thanks for being such a wonderful constant reviewer, Sakanagi-san! I deeply appreciate your kindness! (sobs in happiness)

**YaoiKitten**--Thanks for the swift eye, my friend. I'm glad Sei-chan blasted that nasty perverted man too. It's a good thing he didn't know about what Kurosato actually tried to do to Subaru-kun. Then he would have been in pieces! (disgusting mental picture) Yeah, I've always thought of Seishiro as an animal. Perhaps lacking definitive emotions, but definitely possessing animalistic qualities on the territorial spectrum. Oh, and on the falling thirteen stories--it can happen. I've seen some amazing documentaries lately dealing with just such situations. Especially people falling from skyscrapers. There are even stories of skydivers jumping from planes and living with a dysfunctional parachute! God Child is by Yuki Kaoru--that means I must get into it. I loved Boys Next Door, or at least I think that was the title. It was about the killer Adrian and the prostitute Lawrence. It was creepy but good. Anyway, thanks for the review!

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: "My name is Hamada Kiyoshi. Pleased to meet you."_


	10. IX Entanglement

_He was breathing shallowly, head bowed and eyes closed. He couldn't think; he couldn't feel. He felt detached--like a doll bereft of arms or legs. Incapable and unwinding thread…_

**Illusory Tandem**

Kiyoshi had showered and his hair had still been damp when Kanaye had rushed in, tears spilling from his eyes. It seemed that the boy's friend Mashiro had been injured. Kiyoshi hadn't flinched in the face of the information. He had merely pulled on his boots and followed the boy to the elevator, his insides still frozen and cold from the encounter with the man who had called him Sumeragi Subaru. They had stepped out onto the drizzly street, umbrellas in hand. Neither spoke a word as they headed towards the hospital. They had passed a spot of commotion concerning the clearance of yet another body in the street that had fallen from a great height. Kiyoshi had dismissed it forcefully, having no desire to know the details.

But that was last night. Now, he was sitting motionless in the waiting room beside Kanaye, who was slouched over in his seat with his forehead in his hands. His wavy hair was mussed and out of place. Kiyoshi was also feeling a bit sleepy--he had hardly slept since his arrival in the year1990, or what seemed like 1990. He propped his chin on his fist and let his eyes droop. It had been a long night, and the fact that it was morning and there was still no word on Mashiro's condition offered no comfort. He heard a light sniffle to his right (where Kanaye was sitting) and was in the process of shifting his eyes to look at him when the door opened.

In walked a rather imposing man with slick black hair and dark gray eyes. His eyes fell on Kanaye immediately and a weary, dangerous look seeped into them. He took a step backwards and rested his hand on the door as if to leave, and then Kanaye raised his head to look at him.

The anger that came into his blazing navy eyes was enough to melt an iceberg. There was a silence then that was quieter than the previously prevailing calmness. But there was tangible tension in the air--Kiyoshi could feel it. Yet he remained detached, unwilling to intervene--even as Kanaye leapt to his feet to confront the man.

"You," Kanaye spat with disgust, "Out. Now."

The man stiffened, shoulders lifting towards his ears. "I was just coming to inform you of Kuroki-san's condition. I though you might be interested in knowing how things were."

Kanaye's pupils shrank and his breathing was noisy. "I--I don't want to hear it from--from someone like _you_!" He picked up an empty soda can and hurled it at the man with all of his might.

For a tense moment, it seemed that the can would connect, but at the last second the man raised a hand and caught it--his fingers crushing into it tensely. "Kanaye, Mashiro is going to be fine," he said darkly. His eyes flicked over to Kiyoshi with lingering displeasure and then he turned and left the room without another word.

Kiyoshi blinked. That had certainly been strange. Obviously Yoshido Kanaye and that man were acquainted, and by the look of things they weren't exactly on very good terms. Kiyoshi let his eyes settle on Kanaye for a moment, but he didn't say anything. It wasn't his nature to pry, and he couldn't bring himself to care anyway.

Kanaye took a deep breath, refusing to meet Kiyoshi's eyes. "I--I'm going to get another soda!" he exclaimed with false brightness, heading toward the snack machines. The usually bouncy blond waves in his hair were drooping like dying flowers.

Kiyoshi sighed emptily as he watched him go, the sound without real purpose. He sat alone in the waiting room, staring at the blank expanses of white walls. Unwillingly, he fell into an unwanted sleep. The sleep was not restful. Just as he was in waking life, he was filled with darkness and despair in slumber--with no abating of the pain that forever haunted him.

There were black and red shapes masquerading as ground and sky, and a huge blob of limbs and petals that shrieked against the wind. He walked, half-sinking in invisible mud that the abundance of spilt blood had created. He could feel the presence of someone behind him. That someone grabbed him around the waist with thin arms. Half turning, he glimpsed a figure encased from head to toe in the black muck. The substance dribbled downward like hot wax, creating a nightmarish form--anorexia-thin figure embracing him firmly. Indentations in the face resembled sunken eyes.

They opened, revealing two lamp-green eyes.

The sound was like static. _"Su…ba…ru…"_

_Hokuto-chan!_

Kiyoshi awoke with a jolt. The dream-slash-nightmare had been short and jarring. He remembered now why he resented sleep. Closing his eyes, he chased away the hallucinatory images that danced behind them. Upon reopening, his eyes were faced with an unexpected sight. Two star-bright green eyes were blinking at him in perplexity. His stomach felt like it was being sent through a meat-grinder. He nearly choked--he nearly let his composure crumble.

"Sorry! Did I startle you?" Hokuto asked with a giggle.

Beside her, a wide-eyed Kanaye was also scrutinizing him. "Hamada-san, you woke up," he said intelligently after a few seconds, pushing back his blonde hair.

"Yes, I know," Kiyoshi grumbled, straightening up. His heart was fluttering madly within the confinement of his chest. _Hokuto-chan. Hokuto-chan, Hokuto-chan, Hokuto-chan! _True that he had caught sight of her once before, but now she was so close that he feared for his sanity. It was maddening--it was impossible! He was surprised at how nervous he suddenly was. His heart was torn by so many feelings--reopened wounds of grief, pain, anxiety, anger, and longing and happiness were warring inside. He only dimly noticed that he was trembling.

Kanaye moved closer, brows furrowed in worry. "Hamada-san? Are you cold?"

"No," Kiyoshi lied, eyes transfixed on Hokuto. He blinked in stupor. Her outfit, her smile--everything about her was just so…so _Hokuto_. She was wearing a creation that was part-maid and part-nurse, completely with ruffles and first aid signs. In the crook of her arm was a dark black coat. She was just as he remembered.

Hokuto was a little unnerved by his intense gaze. He could see it in the way she fidgeted. She covered with a loud laugh. "I suppose I should introduce myself! I'm Sumeragi Hokuto! I met Kanaye-kun here at the snack machine!" She flashed a peace sign energetically.

Kanaye grinned. "Hokuto-chan's brother is the one who Mashiro saved!" he announced cheerfully. "I talked to a doctor, by the way. Thankfully, they're both going to be fine--maybe even released in a week or two! It's so amazing--like God smiled down at us or something."

Kiyoshi reeled for a moment, drinking in the information. Mashiro had saved him--or his younger self rather. Kanaye and Hokuto had met at the snack machine. What was going on here? He had only been asleep for five minutes at the most and now all this was being shoved in his face. He cut his thoughts abruptly, stretching a very fake smile across his face. "That's…good to hear," he said finally--all too aware of Hokuto's penetrating stare on his face.

Hokuto scrunched up her eyebrows cutely, examining him. Strange, her mind supplied. The man really was very beautiful…with layered ebony-and-red hair and a gold eye peeking out from beneath dark fringe. The eye she could see was unnerving though--definitely an abnormal shade. The color made her think of Seishiro. However, she could see why Kanaye had scouted the man for modeling. Just glancing at him, her mind was overflowing with fashion ideas. He could certainly wear better than plain black clothes--although the cross that he wore around his neck was certainly interesting. She swallowed forcibly. Something was off though--there was a bizarre tingling in the back of her mind that itched to tell her something important.

"I'm Hamada Kiyoshi. Pleased to meet you," Kiyoshi greeted politely, inclining his head slightly. "Sorry if I seemed rude before." He couldn't help but smile when Hokuto grinned adorably at him. It was contagious and warm. Part of him wanted to leap up and envelop her in a fierce hug, but the other part wanted to curl up into a tiny ball and weep.

Hokuto took a tiny step forward, hands grabbing the large coat that she had draped over one of her arms. She fluffed it out and, before Kiyoshi could murmur a syllable of protest, slung it over his shoulders and tucked it around him. "There," she said with spunk. "You can't say you weren't cold, I could see you shivering from across the room! Poor thing! That coat belongs to a friend of mine--don't worry, he let me borrow it while I ran home for a bit. You can use it for now."

As soon as the coat was around him, Kiyoshi knew the identity of its owner. The scent surrounded him and he was immediately assaulted with memories and loneliness and longing. Sakura and cigarettes and _Seishiro_. He unconsciously closed his eyes and inhaled.

Kanaye grinned. "We were about to go visit Mashiro-san. It turns out that he's only two rooms down from where Hokuto-chan's brother is staying. So we were planning on meeting him--his name is Subaru-san by the way--afterward. Let's go!"

Hokuto grinned excitedly at Kanaye. "I'm very interested in meeting the person who saved my brother's life!" she exclaimed with a wink.

Kiyoshi rose, watching wearily as the two made their way toward the door. He felt like there was a wall of bulletproof glass separating him from them. Their laughter and energy--they were like echoes from some far-off distance. Detachedly, he walked after them, only half-aware of what he was doing. He felt like a living zombie, like a superficial doll without limbs.

After a few minutes of following them down a dimly lit hallway, he decided that it didn't matter. It didn't matter if he could no longer breach that line he had fallen over so shamelessly. He would never be who he once was. _Never_. He clenched his hands in the black fabric of the long overcoat that was draped over his shoulders. All he could do now… Yes, all he could do now was…

_Focus on his One Wish._

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru blushed as Seishiro leaned over him, placing the tray in his lap with care. "Th-Thank you," he said quietly as the man handed him chopsticks. The next few minutes were spent in companionable silence, with Subaru not so much eating as he was pushing his food around.

"Come now, Subaru-kun," Seishiro admonished from his seat beside the bed. "You have to eat--I know your strength is severely depleted."

Subaru met his eyes for a nervous second and then turned back to his food. He placed a few bites of rice in his mouth not so much because of appetite but for Seishiro's benefit. He chewed slowly, trying his best to make the food last as long as possible. He knew that Seishiro was going to ask. He knew--he could see the question burning behind the older man's eyes. It came quickly--quietly.

"What happened, Subaru-kun?"

He jumped, chopsticks still in his mouth. Retracting them, he stammered, "What do you mean what happened?" God, he was so nervous. "I--I fell. Y-you know that…"

Seishiro uncrossed his legs, leaning forward with a piercing look. "That's not like you," he said gently. "How could you simply fall, Subaru-kun? You were on a job. You're a professional onmyouji, and a highly skilled one at that." He scooted his chair even closer, reaching out a hand to hover over one of the bruises on the boy's face. His fingers ghosted over the tender skin. "I understand you may not want to talk, Subaru-kun…and you don't have to if you can't bring yourself to _trust_ me."

Subaru's eyes immediately glossed over, becoming brighter and more vibrant as the words sank into his mind. There was pain swirling in his eyes. "No," he said quietly. "I trust you--it's just that…" he trailed off, ashamed.

Seishiro inwardly scoffed at the so-called trust the boy claimed ownership of. It was really too ironic. If only the boy knew who he was. If only he knew what was in store. It was hard to keep a schooled expression of worry in place in the wake of such a ludicrous statement.

"Kurosato Rui," Subaru began with renewed strength. "Kurosato was the one who had requested my services. So I went to the apartment, on the 13th floor--the 2nd room. It was supposed to be routine. It was only a reported haunting." His voice grew a bit thick and he stopped to catch his breath.

"But it wasn't?" Seishiro prodded, genuinely curious.

"When I arrived, Kurosato-san greeted me. He was kind--very kind. He took my coat and hat and offered me tea. I took it. At first, I was a little afraid of him. Seishiro-san, it was the way he _looked _at me. But I shrugged it off in the face of the assignment. Kurosato-san showed me to the room that he said was haunted."

Seishiro allowed himself the pleasure of remembering the look on Kurosato's face as he had plunged out the window to his death. "And _then_, Subaru-kun?"

"He said there was a female spirit inhabiting the room. I investigated. I didn't feel anything initially, but I decided to be thorough anyway. I entered the room. And nothing was there. I double-checked. But when I opened my eyes--" Subaru closed his eyes tightly, cheeks tinting pink in shame.

Seishiro felt the beginnings of possessive anger begin to stir in his chest. Why in the world was Subaru blushing like that?

"The lights were off. And then," Subaru was whispering now, "he came at me."

Seishiro glared at his hands. "He attacked you."

"Not only that. He…" Subaru licked his lips, the memories of that night rushing back in a torrential flood. He could hear that man's voice.

(_I had to have you, ya know. I just couldn't stop myself_.)

He could see that man's lusty eyes, devouring the sight of his skin like some kind of cannibal.

_(Your skin…mmm…so soft.)_

_(His shirt was unbuttoned. Sweaty, nervous hands had squirmed inside to caress his skin. Uninvited advances. Shame. Fear. Unrequited lust. Shame. Fear. Lust. Skin. Hands. Anger. Hate. Shame. Anger. Rage.)_

He hadn't wanted Seishiro to know about it. Steadily, the tears were starting to drip down his face. "He made…_advances_…on me…" He could hardly get the words out past his swollen throat.

Seishiro was quiet and his eyes were shadowed. An attempt on the boy's life--he had known about that. But a sexual assault he had been oblivious of. Oh, if he had known beforehand…he would have strung that Kurosato up and torn him limb from limb--muscle fiber from muscle fiber. There would have been nothing recognizable left of him--the tree would have had such an easy time digesting the man afterward. A small hiccup directed his attention back to Subaru. The boy was crying.

"My shirt--he tore it and he pushed me on the bed and--" Subaru was becoming hysterical and Seishiro didn't like where the story was leading. Surely the boy hadn't been raped!

"Tell me you fought back," Seishiro said more sharply than he had intended--it was evident in the shocked way the boy's too-green eyes widened. "Subaru, if someone's attacking you, you should fight back regardless if you're afraid of hurting them!" He didn't realize that he was almost yelling--nearly screaming in an angry way. He also didn't realize that a sharp little feeling of unrealistic-uncalled for-jealousy was pricking at his awareness.

Subaru cowered, covering his eyes pitifully with one hand. "No--that's not--! The tea--! I--! The tea he gave me--it was drugged! I couldn't _move_!"

Seishiro leaned forward and slammed a fist on the lunch tray that was half in the boy's lap and half on his stomach. "Then why did you drink the _damn tea_!"

Subaru coughed and winced, bursting into hysterical, heart-wrenching sobs. His ribs exploded into pain. The blow went through the tray to his damaged ribs and it hurt. It hurt worse knowing that it was Seishiro-san who had done it. He hunched over, gripping his midsection in pain. "I didn't know!" he coughed. "I didn't know, I didn't know, I didn't know! _I didn't know_!"

Seishiro blinked, wit returning. What had he just been doing? Mildly surprised with himself, he stared at Subaru. Shit. He had forgotten about the boy's broken ribs--not to mention his soreness from the fall. What had possessed him to take out his anger at Kurosato on Subaru anyway? That had been out of line and potentially fatal to his charade as friendly vet. Quickly and clumsily, he tried to patch up his mistake. "Oh, Subaru-kun," he breathed, halfway climbing to sit on the bed. "Subaru-kun." The boy didn't acknowledge him. He gathered the flimsy body in his arms and pulled the boy tenderly against his chest.

"I'm sorry," Subaru whispered hoarsely between sobs.

"What are you apologizing for, Subaru-kun? I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm so sorry--I don't know what came over me." He reached a hand down and rested it over Subaru's hand, which was settled over his injured ribs. He sighed and lent support to Subaru's other broken arm, cradling it gently. "I'm so sorry." He buried his face in the boy's hair, pulling every affectionate trick he knew of. He listened to the boy's sobs for several long moments, waiting patiently as they grew weaker and quieter.

"I ran from him somehow," Subaru continued in a whisper. "I tried to get away, but my limbs were so sluggish and weak. He chased me. I came to a window. I was going to collapse any moment. And then something happened. I wasn't prepared for it."

"Prepared for what?" Seishiro asked from the vicinity of Subaru's ear.

Subaru's shoulders shook. "The sakanagi."

Seishiro's eyes widened in confusion. "_What_?"

Subaru's hand gripped Seishiro's tensely. "The sakanagi hit me--it was so strong. I barely managed to defend my mind, but I was thrown backward out the window and then I fell. I don't remember anything after that."

"But Subaru-kun," Seishiro started quietly, his mind running over the events at warp-speed, "you didn't do any spells that would have resulted in such a sakanagi."

Subaru was silent, his head bowed. "I know," he said finally, voice unstable. "I know…it doesn't make much sense, does it?" He tried to laugh. It turned into a biting sob.

Seishiro was scowling, mind flipping back through time--citing events such as the boy's strange visions and bleeding eye. It was all too strange, given that the boy was telling the truth. And since it was Subaru he was dealing with, that was almost a one hundred percent certainty. The boy was too honest for his own good. But the events--they were certainly worth further investigation.

Subaru leaned lethargically back into Seishiro's body and Seishiro shifted to better accommodate him. "Seishiro-san," he said quietly, "do you find me foolish?"

"Subaru-kun, why do you ask such a thing?" the older man murmured, scooting backward to lean his back against the headboard.

"For letting such a thing happen to me--am I foolish?" Subaru craned his head up to look Seishiro in the eye. His green orbs swam with a new reservoir of fresh tears.

_Yes, _Seishiro's mind secretly whispered. Outwardly, he smiled warmly. "No, Subaru-kun. Kind and innocent you are, but a fool? That man was the fool--a real twentieth century idiot! If I could get my hands on him, I'd stick him with an elephant tranquilizer--no--I've a better idea! I'd _neuter_ him!"

Subaru's tears stopped abruptly and he stared at the older vet for a minute, letting the words sink in. "Pfft!" He burst into a fit of giggles; somehow immensely relieved he had gotten the story off his chest. Seishiro had listened to him--had been indignant on his behalf--had reassured him. Despite the brief anger he had shown, and Subaru was sure Seishiro hadn't _really _meant to hurt him, the man had been wonderful. In short, inside Subaru was melting. Seishiro's chest was warm, and so was his breath on his cheek.

"I'm serious Subaru-kun," Seishiro said without humor. "I don't know what I'd do if I met that man face to face. I just might do something I'd regret." His eyes were burning amber, and they fascinated Subaru. He felt himself slip away in them, drowning in their electric color. There was such a fierce possessiveness in them. Subaru longed to reach up and slip the glasses off to get a better view.

Seishiro broke eye contact, instead eyeing something on the floor beside his chair he had until now forgotten. "Now I have something to show you, Subaru-kun. A pitiful thing it is, but they say that it's the thought that counts." He lifted Subaru gently from him, just enough so he could slip away to grasp the small shopping bag that had been resting on the floor beside his chair. He came back and regained his position behind Subaru, setting the bag on the space beside the boy on the bed. "I had bought this for you, but I got caught in the rain when I heard about your…condition. It's ruined, I'm afraid."

Subaru blinked as he pulled the crumpled shopping bag towards him. Parts of it were still wet. Looking inside, he glimpsed red fabric. Eyes widening, he pulled out a damp coat. It was beautiful, and it looked expensive. It was double-breasted and exquisitely lined. Subaru sucked in a sharp breath of air. "Seishiro-san…it--I--thank you so much!"

"Well," Seishiro amended, examining the red of the coat against Subaru's white skin with interest, "maybe it's not a total loss. We'll take it to the dry-cleaners and see what happens."

Subaru hugged the material close to his body. "Thank you… But it looks so expensive, Seishiro-san!" He turned to the man with a worried expression.

"Ah, but no expense is too great for my Subaru-kun," he said theatrically, hugging Subaru around the waist from behind.

"S-S-Seishiro-saaan!" he protested weakly, guarding his ribs. Seishiro nuzzled his jaw affectionately, making his cheeks flame.

Seishiro pulled away abruptly with a sugary smile. "As long as you like it, it was well worth it."

Subaru stared at the man for long moments, emotions turbulently crashing like ocean waves inside his chest. He turned, ignoring the pain in his ribs and leapt at the man, wrapping him in a one armed hug and cradling his other arm close to his body for protection. "Seishiro-san!" The tears were back--but this time it wasn't because he was sad. He felt the man shift to support him better and them warm arms had wound about his slight body. His tears were soaking into Seishiro's shirt and there were long fingers running through his hair. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You're welcome," Seishiro's voice rumbled in reply.

_Click._

A boy peeked his head in timidly, taking in the sight before him in embarrassment. There was an older man cuddling a younger boy, who he guessed was Sumeragi, close to his chest. A gift bag was discarded on the floor and a long, elegant red coat was half-sprawled over the lower half of who he guessed was Sumeragi Subaru. Forgotten near the foot of the bed was a half-eaten hospital lunch. The rice and vegetables and drink had spilled over onto the clean bed sheets. There was a weird blemish in the middle of the tray--as if it had been slammed against something. Flicking his eyes back to the snuggly couple, he realized the boy was crying. Blushing, he realized that he was obviously interrupting something.

He backed out and quietly shut the door. Glancing down the hallway, he saw Sumeragi Hokuto, Hamada Kiyoshi, and Mashiro approaching. Kiyoshi had the unfortunate duty of pushing Mashiro's wheelchair. They were making their way toward him. He blushed as he thought back to what he had seen in the room. He wondered if he should mention it or keep quiet? Hokuto flounced over to him.

"So, Kanaye-kun! Ready to meet my super-cute brother!" she asked, smiling energetically.

"Um, yes!" Kanaye smiled, pushing the embarrassing image of the other Sumeragi being cuddled to the furthest corner of his mind.

Kiyoshi walked forward, pushing a very annoyed Mashiro before him. "I hate wheelchairs, Yoshido--why are you making me ride in one? And why is _he _the one pushing me around?" Mashiro demanded, gesturing to Kiyoshi grumpily.

"The doctors said you shouldn't be walking around, that's why! And what do you have against Hamada-san anyway?" Kanaye quipped, narrowing his blue eyes. "Geez! You're a big baby sometimes."

Kiyoshi eyed the door to the hospital room warily. Inside was his younger self--the sixteen-year-old Sumeragi Subaru. Sakurazuka Seishiro, the man he loved more than anything in the world, was probably in there, too. His heart sped up. No, no, no. He couldn't deal with this. Not yet! He pushed Mashiro's wheelchair to Kanaye. "I'm sorry. But I'm late for an appointment--I really have to go. Sorry for such short notice, Yoshido-san and Kuroki-san. I have to leave now."

"Oh, no!" Kanaye said, eyes drooping. "Well, if you're sure you have to--"

"I really must," Kiyoshi cut in. "Goodbye. It was nice meeting you, Sumeragi-san. I hope that your brother recovers well," he said to Hokuto with a small smile. He deftly lifted the black overcoat that belonged to Seishiro from his shoulders and returned it to her. After that, he strode down the hallway--taking long and quick strides.

"Well," Kanaye sighed, watching his disappear, "he was sure in a hurry, wasn't he?"

"Too abrupt if you ask me," Mashiro chimed in, dark eyes flashing. "I don't like him."

"Shut up, Mashiro," Kanaye hissed.

"Hey, hey," Hokuto broke in hurriedly. "Don't fight! He left--that's okay! It's nothing to fight over! Now, let's go meet my brother!" She put her hand on the doorknob.

"Wait!" Kanaye interjected, grabbing her arm. "Sh-Shouldn't we knock first?" he asked, trying to keep his embarrassment from showing. His thoughts still lingered on the tender scene he had walked in on earlier.

She blinked at him. "Naaaah. The only person who's in there with him is Sei-chan. I'm sure nothing _too_ bad is going on."

Kanaye leaned over and knocked anyway.

Hokuto made a face. "Aww, you're no fun! If they _were_ doing something, I wanted to _see_ it!"

Kanaye flushed red. "You can't be serious," he mumbled. "That's your brother in there!"

"I know!" she said brightly, throwing open the door. "Suuuubaaruuuu! Seeeiiiii-chaaaan!"

Surprisingly, everything was in order. Kanaye noted that Sumeragi Subaru was now alone in his bed. The coat was placed neatly at the foot of the bed, and the spilt lunch had been cleaned from the bed sheets. The older man whom Hokuto had called 'Sei-chan' was sitting complacently in a chair beside the bed.

"Hello, Hokuto-chan," he greeted cheerfully. "We were wondering when you would again grace us with your presence."

She grinned at the man and then bounced over to her brother's bedside. "Hey, Subaru! How are you feeling?"

He smiled adorably. "I'm feeling fine, Hokuto-chan."

She pinched his cheek affectionately. "That's great! You should be feeling better, with Sei-chan taking care of you and all! I've brought some friends along!" she exclaimed gesturing to Kanaye and Mashiro.

Kanaye and Mashiro, meanwhile, were busy gaping at how much the twins truly favored--even though they were of different genders, the two bore an uncanny resemblance to each other.

Subaru glanced at them shyly. "Hi," he said softly. "I'm Sumeragi Subaru."

Kanaye blinked--the boy was so soft-spoken and shy. Maybe the older man had simply been comforting him earlier. He couldn't imagine someone so reserved engaging in naughty behavior. "And I'm Yoshido Kanaye," he replied with a grin.

"Kuroki Mashiro," Mashiro supplied, eyeing the boy he had saved with interest. It seemed that he wasn't hurt too terribly. It was miraculous, really, that they had both gotten off with as little damage as they did. By all rights, the boy should have been dead. He wondered distantly if the boy--this Sumeragi Subaru--knew who he was. He wondered if he knew who had saved him.

"I'm Sakurazuka Seishiro," Seishiro added cheerfully from his seat. He was about to say more regarding his relationship with Subaru but Hokuto cut him off.

"Subaru, Mashiro is the one who saved you," she said happily, gesturing to the young man in the wheelchair.

Subaru blinked slowly. "What?" he whispered. "The one…who…_saved_ me? What are you talking about?"

Kanaye and Mashiro exchanged glances. It seemed no one had informed Subaru of the details after all.

Hokuto blanched. "Huh? Subaru, don't you _know_? Someone broke your fall from the apartment! You know--that's the person that saved you."

"Hokuto-chan, what are you talking about?" Subaru demanded desperately, eyes growing tearful. "I know _nothing_ about this."

Kanaye laughed. "Well, that's okay. It's no big deal. You know now!" However, his comment did nothing to make Hokuto feel better.

She growled, her bangs shadowing her eyes. "Sei-CHAN!" She rounded on the man who was sitting rather uncomfortably in his seat. "You were supposed to _tell_ him!"

Seishiro had an innocent-nervous smile on his face and he was sweating. He held up his hands in a placating manner. "Ahahaha!" he laughed nervously. "Please forgive me, Hokuto-chan! I _-erm-_ forgot!"

"You _forgot_!" she shrieked, gripping his collar. "How could you forget something so important! You _know _how sensitive Subaru is about these kinds of things!"

Seishiro laughed some more.

"It's nothing to _laugh_ about!" she roared, thwacking him on the head with her small glittering purse.

"_H-Hokuto_-chan!" Subaru exclaimed in horror. "Don't hit Seishiro-san!"

She paused in the middle of her abuse. "But Subaru--he deserves it!" she protested before resuming her 'gentle' attack.

"No, Hokuto-chan! No! Oh, no…_Seishiro-san_…"

"Well," Mashiro said under his breath. "They're a bunch of weirdos, aren't they?"

"Shut up, Mashiro," Kanaye hissed.

Subaru had had enough. "Stop!" he yelled cutely. "I'm fine! It's okay that Kuroki-san saved me--I can handle it! Just stop!"

Hokuto sighed and let go of the older man's hair. "Fine," she conceded, "but I'm still mad at you, Sei-chan."

Seishiro let a stream of mock-tears leak from his eyes. "Subaru-kun, you saved me!" he cried, leaping to the boy's side and hugging his good arm tightly.

Hokuto giggled. "I'll let you go this time, Sei-chan--but only if you promise to double your efforts of hitting on Subaru! Ohohohohoho!"

Seishiro's eyes shone. "It's a fair deal!" he exclaimed happily.

Subaru blushed, glancing at the shocked faces of Yoshido Kanaye and Kuroki Mashiro. God, why did Seishiro and Hokuto have to embarrass him every time he met new people? He wondered if he should just give up. There was no winning against Seishiro-san and Hokuto-chan.

"Subaru-kun, what are you--?"

"Subaru, don't hide under the covers _again_!"

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi stood before the sakura tree, staring at its spectacular majesty. "Are you responsible for this?" he asked quietly. "Are you?" The towering giant had no answer for him. There was only a slight breeze that fluttered the blooms--inspiring a half-drunken dance of fallen and red-disgraced blossoms.

Kiyoshi mused that he was a cherry blossom. He had long-since been stained and long-since fallen from grace. Now he was left on the ground, with only dead love and a wish to hold on to. He wasn't even sure of what he really wanted. Did he want to live? Did he want Seishiro to live? What about Hokuto? Did he want life or death? Could there be one without the other?

A memory burst to life behind his eyelids. A bridge swaying dangerously in the wind. A wicked smile on such a lovely mouth. Black ofuda. White ofuda. Smoke and dust, and then a clearing. Blood. Another smile--this time softened with an unspeakable emotion.

_(Subaru-kun…I…you…)_

A flash of pain and death of the soul--death of the heart over and over again like a sequence on repeat. A never-ending nightmare of numb disbelief and miserable depression. Then came a wish and an eye and a new duty. Then--blackness and blood everywhere. Guilt.

He stumbled forward, the force of it all weighing him down like anchor. He slumped to the ground, resting his back against the thick supportive weight of the tree trunk. He almost fell asleep, his eyes drooping to remain only half-open. Things had already changed. In his time, he hadn't ever fallen from an apartment complex--he hadn't even gone on a job to that particular living quarter. Things had drastically changed, and he hadn't even directly intervened.

_Is this reality even real?_

He stared up at the monstrous tree.

_Am I dreaming?_

The petals fell endlessly.

_Why do we sacrifice so much for beauty?_

A petal landed in his hair.

_Who is the judge of beauty?_

The tree seemed to laugh at him in all its splendor. It used people--devoured them. And all for what? To survive…or to simply be beautiful? Was vanity such an important false-virtue? His mind was unnaturally curious today. Origins… Where had the tree come from? Where had Sakurazukamori come from?

_Were you once normal?_

_Were you once innocent?_

_Was I?_

END CHAPTER NINE.

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_Theme Song for this Chapter:  
_"_Uncertain Memory" by Gackt

* * *

(Waves) Oi. Sorry to all, but I'm supremely stressed right now and I'm dealing with a lot that I shouldn't have to. All I can say is that I hope the aura didn't permeate the chapter. The action and drama is not up to par, but this is a necessary chapter. Not particularly exciting, but it does tie up a few ends--mainly young Subaru's emotions. Things start to get weird and difficult next chapter. I hope I'm up to it. Maybe I'll be having a better time with life by then. Right now it's hard to be my cheerful self, so I apologize if my review replies have a stilted atmosphere. I got some stunning reviews last chapter, especially from people like J.J. Blue, Saiyaness, and tekoo. Thank you all so much!_

**tezuka eiri**--Hmm, that's a very good question. What do you think? Is it far either way? No, Subaru won't fall in love with Kuroki Mashiro (who would?). Can the future be 'screwed' with? Can it really change? Can things really be fixed or will it rebound to the foreordained destiny regardless of the circumstances? As for Seishiro, what would have to be sacrificed in order for him to live? Sorry--I know it sounds like I'm bombarding you with questions, but really I'm just giving you something to think about (hints). Thanks for reviewing.

**Saiyaness**--I always appreciate reviews. I'm a horrible reviewer, so I am surprised when others take the time to drop words of encouragement and in absolute awe when they take such time in writing reviews like you do! I know what you mean about 'falling away from interest'--I've experienced that rather painfully in other fandoms myself. So I would completely understand if you lost interest. But here you are giving me praise that is really undeserved. I'm flawed, I'm imperfect, but isn't everyone? I know it shows in my writing and yet you still say such nice things to me. It really, truly means a lot to me--especially when I'm going through a difficult time like I am right now. I am glad that previous chapters have been able to inspire your empathy, and I hope that you stick around to see the end of it all. Suspense, mystery--I fell in love with such concepts long ago and I'm overjoyed that you find them in my story! Thank you so much--and my essence is in the story? I suppose so since I wrote it--but I'm glad it is recognizable to you. All I'm left saying is thank you, thank you, thank you. I must be in a melodramatic mood because I feel like crying as I write this. Thank you, thank you so much.

**Hellcat81**--"This is fanfiction, after all." Wonderful statement. Because it really is, after all. I'm glad Seishiro's dream was scary--it was supposed to be. All I can say for Kiyoshi!Subaru is that he'd better keep his bangs over his green eye in front of Seishiro! Well, I suppose it'll be hard enough for him to keep his composure. (shrugs) Anyway, I like original scenarios too. Can you tell? Thanks for reviewing!

**Subaru's Voice**--I don't always get informed of updates either, so I certainly hope you don't worry about something so trivial. Thank you for taking the time to review. I'm glad you found the chapter enjoyable. I'm out of clever words.

**Sakurazuka-chan**--Nee-san! (huggles) I'm so drained and frustrated with life! (collapses) I feel lazy, too. I may be updating this fic but the others are being neglected! (sobs hysterically) Sorry, sorry. I'm just overwhelmed and I'm letting the floodgates open on you. Gomen. As for your review(s), thanks for them! You're so nice! I can't wait till you update your stories! (hugs) I hope life is treating you well. You mentioned Malice Mizer. It's funny because I was snooping around about them today I and found out that Mana is a man! (blinks) I was SO shocked about that! He's so pretty and he wears fakes eyelashes and dresses! How can he be a man! (laughs) Just thought I'd share that.

**Tekoo**--I think Subaru hurts after the fall. Could be wrong, though. Tekoo, darling--don't you dare worry about not reviewing. I'm certainly not vengeful and I don't often keep grudges. Even a single review would be appreciated! And I'm very thankful that you decided to review again. (reads along to the part where you mention the mysterious sakanagi) coughs Maybe I'll let you in on that one next chapter. Sei-chan can be mischievous--I still don't know why he claimed to be Subaru's lover. (smirks) As for the dreams--I'm glad you liked them. Yes, the butterflies that were falling were an allusion to death. Good observation. Glad you liked the UST, too. Like I said, don't be so conscientious about not reviewing. I honestly wouldn't mind if you only posted one word. Thanks so much for reviewing so spectacularly though!

**Hiruka-chan**--Thanks for the observation. Similes are friendly things. I'm glad you liked them. I love you for pointing out something so specific. It makes me feel warm inside on an otherwise cold day. Thanks for reviewing! (hugs)

**Sakanagi**--Yes, the dream-sequences are chock-full of symbolism. What can I say? I'm just a total sucker for that kind of thing! Seishiro definitely fails to recognize his own emotions. And I do believe he has them (unlike some poor unfortunate souls out there who think he's some sort of soulless husk). CLAMP goes out of their way to beat it into our heads that a clone (Nataku) and a machine (Beast) have emotions, so I think that that means the Sei-chan definitely has them. As for Kiyoshi, he will be fleshed out in upcoming chapters (I hope). He's becoming increasingly difficult to write. Mou! I hope I'm doing okay. He met Hokuto formally this chapter and next chapter he gets to meet Subaru-kun. What fun!

**YaoiKitten**--I honestly think that all my typos come from rephrasing things and my excessive cut-and-pasting. I move paragraphs and phrases around a lot. "There was much pain." Stays--it's aimed to feel choppy. And "Before he failed he saw, by red moonlight..." stays. I did mean 'failed'. By failed I mean "ceased to be" or "before he lost consciousness". They use the term a lot around the hospital. Like a heart failing--a life failing. Thanks for that, though. Always so helpful! I like to make up words. (sheepish smile) Thanks so much for the compliments and the wonderful review! I heard about the fact that God Child got licensed! I'll buy it when it comes out! I love YK's stuff!

**J.J. Blue**--Oh. My. God. There are so many words for you and yet not enough to appease my throbbing heart. This review is just so in-depth and so special to me. It is honestly one of the kindest I have ever received. I don't know what to say. I really don't. I bubbled about it on my livejournal and I'm still gaga over it. You touched upon so many of the thoughts that entered my head as I was writing those sequences. You vocalized almost every point possible. In short, I love you for it.

Subaru's dream takes place on Rainbow Bridge and Seishiro's takes place before the Sakura Tree--that's why Subaru was wearing his white shikufu. The dreams are linked to Kiyoshi's dreamscape in a way--the presence of his dreamscape is wreaking havoc on the other two since it is rather intrusive and aggressive. I'm intrigued that you picked up on the differences in the two dreams. When I was writing Subaru's, I kept thinking to myself, "This needs to be abstract." It suits Subaru more because it is artful and detached--kind of like him. When I wrote Seishiro's, I thought that it should feel more 'grounded' and more 'raw'. When I thought of a possible dream for Seishiro, my mind supplied the words 'hot and intense' and perhaps the word 'confused'. I tried to take into account the differences and similarities between Subaru and Seishiro. Subaru is beauty and Seishiro is morbidity.

"_Do you remember the world of did you simply never know it?"_ is a direct correlation to Kiyoshi!Subaru. It is a doubt of the self. He remembers how wonderful the world used to seem--but he overlooked so many things. Did he ever really see things as they were? It's an allusion to distortion, basically. I liked your observations on the relationship and communication problems between Seishiro and Subaru. They are fascinated by each other yet can't comprehend one another truly.

You didn't read too much into the dreams--I'm delighted in fact that you took so much time to sort all that out! I love you, I love you, I love you! Mwahahaa! (insanity)

In other news, I love to toy with Seishiro. I bet Fuuma found it funny in X when Sei-chan denied having feelings. Yeah, blackmail material would be nice… If only Seishiro could see himself--good God! That was really my inspiration in writing this fic. I wanted to create a scenario where Subaru would be in danger from someone or something other than Seishiro himself. You see, in TB/X we are only given two real instances in which Subaru is in terrible danger from outside sources. In TB, Seishiro delivers spectacularly in the situation--he loses an eye. That is a rather extreme result, don't you think? And in X17, Fuuma mentions that Seishiro didn't value his handiwork involving the loss of Subaru's eye--he wasn't happy about it. I think that had we had more chances to see Sei-chan in a desperate position, his feelings would have seeped right out! Heehee! I'm so silly! But it's really what I believe. As a closing remark, I want to super-duper thank you for such an inspiring review! (hugs)

Thanks to all for such awesome reviews! In fact, replying to all of them cheered me up a little! Thanks!

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: At those words, he dropped the glass. It shattered on the red-and-white tiled floor._


	11. X Interaction

"Symbols and stereotypes," Yoshido Shigure murmured, not looking up from his magazine.

"What was that, sir?" one of his associates asked.

"I hate that that's what this world's been reduced to," the man replied, glancing out his office window. Down below, a walk-light turned green.

**Illusory Tandem**

"Yeeeeeeaaaah!" Kanaye shouting, running full speed down the sidewalk. His hands gripped the push-handles on Mashiro's wheelchair tightly as he shoved the other boy ahead at an insane speed.

Mashiro was torn between screaming in anger and crying in frustration. Barreling down a street swerving in between terrified people was not his idea of a fun time, especially since he had just gotten out of the hospital. He hadn't been injured that badly. Okay, so perhaps one broken ankle and one dislocated knee qualified as painful, but it had been nothing compared to the injuries of the Sumeragi kid he had saved. It was creepy, though--how fast the sixteen-year-old onmyouji had actually healed. In two weeks, he had gotten out of the hospital. Mashiro, on the other hand, spent three weeks there. He had suffered a pretty bad concussion and, seeing that it was at a tender spot behind his ears, the doctors had insisted on monitoring him. He hated doctors.

Glancing up and craning his neck slightly, he caught sight of the embarrassingly childish expression on Kanaye's face. He shuddered, having second thoughts about letting the boy 'take care' of him. As much as he hated the doctors, at least he knew that he wasn't in mortal danger when he was with them. "Give it a rest, Yoshido," he grumbled. "You're making me sick."

Kanaye's wide mouth closed abruptly and he shot an acid glare at Mashiro. Mashiro swore that there were tiny pinpricks of light that resembled daggers in those navy orbs. But perhaps it was merely the reflection from the boy's oh-so-fashionable sunglasses.

"Hmph! Someone's in a bad mood. This is the thanks you give me for taking time out of my day to push you around? I should let you walk on your crutches! Then you'll get sore armpits!"

Mashiro rolled his eyes.

"Besides, I'm taking you to lunch with me out of the goodness of my heart!" Kanaye snarled, head bobbing with anger.

"Yoshido." Mashiro deadpanned. "The Sumeragi twins invited _me_ to lunch, too, you know. I'm the one who did the rescuing. What's this about goodness of your heart? You're not even paying."

"Well I _would_ pay if I hadn't gotten fired from my job! And that's your fault too, by the way. Hmph. Now I gotta put all my eggs in one basket for financing. Hamada-san had better make it big time in the modeling business or I'm screwed." He rocked back on his heels nervously, chewing his lip in agitation.

"You can always go to your father for money if you get desperate," Mashiro grumbled impatiently.

Kanaye's expression immediately changed--tightening as he grimaced at the thought. His voice was strained when he spoke. "I'd sell my _body_ before I did that."

Mashiro was taken aback by the raw ferocity and seriousness with which his friend spoke. He sputtered for a second. "Yoshido--no--Kanaye, I don't ever want to hear you talk like that again. You can borrow from me if you get that desperate, okay?"

"We're here," Kanaye said tensely, dismissing the conversation.

Mashiro looked up, furrowing his dark and somewhat thick eyebrows. It was a quaint restaurant. The theme was island-style and it had an open court with umbrellas and expensively-covered fabric seats. The floor was red-and-white tiled, giving it a classy, high-dollar feel despite the laid-back island theme. Couples and young groups packed the open court--all of them decked out in high-style fashion and sipping colorful fruit drinks from their elongated glasses.

The Sumeragi twins were no exception. The one in the dress, who was presumably Hokuto, was wearing butterfly wings and knee-high black tights. Her dress had ruffles--lots of ruffles. Neon pink, black, and white lace made up the majority of the tutu-like garment. Her top looked like a netted corset with lots of pink-and-white bows stuck on it. There were pull-through bows in her hair, too. Her shoes were modified ballet slippers with a hint of black design--the ties twisting up her calves and shins to overlap the black leggings. Kanaye blinked--inwardly impressed at her ability to pull it all off.

The twin brother was also a victim of fashion--but his outfit was surprisingly more provocative. It was a classy, sleek look at first glance. The buckles and risqué fit, however, defied that normality. His black leather pants were tight almost to the point of indecency, and his top wasn't much better. It was a form-fitting turtleneck with no sleeves, and it had slits all throughout, letting the barest of creamy skin peek through. Over this was a loose-fitting tank that served as a nearly transparent over-shirt. It was made of a vibrant red that perfectly matched his red-and-black sports boots, which were laced up with gray strings. There were tiny silver crosses on his gray belt and around his neck on a modified choker. Over the choker was a long, large-linked chain with an even larger cross hanging over his heart. Lastly, draped over the arm of his chair, was a strangely sporty-looking gray coat with red trim.

Mashiro's eyes were wide in a way that Kanaye didn't like. He cleared his throat and nudged the side of his counterpart's head with his elbow. "Well, let's go sit," he said pointedly, pushing the wheelchair towards the large table where the twins were seated. Looking at the impressive spectacle the twins made, Kanaye became aware of his own outfit. His pants were a flare-fit black vinyl and his sage green undershirt was a smooth, fake snakeskin texture. Over that was a sleek button-down maroon shirt with half of the buttons left undone. One side hung teasingly off his shoulder; the sleeves were rolled to his elbows to reveal the vast array of golden bracelets he wore. His glasses were gold-rimmed to match his bracelets and braided gold necklace. He trained his eyes on Mashiro critically. The stubborn young man wore a plain red pullover sweatshirt with black athletic pants and tennis shoes. The worst part was that he made it look good in its simplicity.

Kanaye scoffed at his friend before turning a cheerful grin to the Sumeragi twins. Hokuto matched his smile with a brighter one.

"Kanaye-kun!" she chirped, rising to her feet and yanking out a chair for him to sit. Glancing at Mashiro's wheelchair, she moved one of the chairs away to make a space for him. After the two were settled comfortably, she waved at a waiter across the court. Kanaye was settled comfortably in between Hokuto and Mashiro. Almost directly across from him was Subaru Sumeragi, who gazed ahead shyly with a slight smile on his face. Beside the boy was an empty seat. Kanaye thought he knew whom it might belong to.

Only moments later, his suspicions were confirmed. A vaguely familiar man walked up with a cheerful bounce in his step. He was wearing khaki pants and a salmon-colored silk shirt. He looked good in it. He carried himself with an utmost ease that suggested absolute self-confidence. If there was anyone who could carry a pink hue and make it look manly, Kanaye thought, it was this man.

"Ah, I see that our friends have arrived," he said jovially as he smoothly took a seat by Subaru. "I wish I had known you had arrived," he continued, setting three smoothies down on the table. "I would have gotten you both a treat as well." He slid a strawberry-colored drink to an equally rosy Subaru and an orange one to Hokuto. His own smoothie was strawberry like Subaru's.

There was an ear-splitting peal of laughter from Hokuto. "It's okay, Sei-chan. I'm sure they can manage. We all know you went to the front bar so _Subaru _wouldn't have to wait on his extra special smoothie! Besides, a waiter's on his way over here right now."

Mashiro raised a thick eyebrow at the girl, trying for the life of him to figure out what could possibly be so funny. A second later when the girl laughed again for no apparent reason, he decided that she was simply loony. He winced when Kanaye joined in on the laughter. He really was beginning to develop a headache.

"In that case," Kanaye said loudly to the wide-eyed waiter, "I'd like a banana smoothie and Mashiro here would like peach!"

Mashiro growled deep in his throat. "Yoshido," he barked, "what makes you think you can order for me? And what makes you think I want a peach smoothie?"

Four sets of eyes trained on him. Kanaye blinked slowly with an innocent air. "Um… But isn't peach your favorite?" he asked in bewilderment.

Mashiro huffed. The damn truth was that peach _was_ his favorite. It sort of hurt his pride knowing that Kanaye of all people knew one of his weaknesses. "Whatever," he said grumpily, crossing his arms and refusing to acknowledge the strange looks he was getting from Sakurazuka and the Sumeragi twins. Embarrassment wasn't in his nature, he told himself firmly.

The waiter nodded quickly and scuttled away. A silence hung over them for a few minutes. Hokuto, of course, was the one to break it. "So," she began energetically, picking up a menu and flipping through it, "it's nice of you two to join us for lunch. Especially you Mashiro-kun--you saved my Subaru! I'll be eternally grateful to you!" Her expression flickered for a moment, green orbs taking on a more haunted look as if in remembrance of a terrible memory. Her face was filled with genuine thankfulness as she gazed at Mashiro.

Mashiro cleared his throat. "It's no problem," he said. "I've been trained in defense and the martial arts, so I'd consider it a crime against moral code to not offer my help when it is needed. To tell the truth, in that situation…I just reacted." He glanced at Subaru, who was sipping his smoothie demurely. The boy's innocent jade eyes peeked out from above the smoothie glass. They seemed, unlike his sister's eyes, just as breakable as that glass. There was an ethereal quality about him--that was for sure. Mashiro couldn't help but wonder about him--there was something mysterious hiding in that persona.

"Subaru can't stay too long," Hokuto continued, "because he has a job. But he wanted to express his thanks as well."

"A job?" Kanaye started. "You're working at sixteen? Wow! Where do you work?"

Immediately, Subaru's cheeks pinked. "Um," he began, eyes darting to the older man next to him as if for security. "I…" He clenched his hands in his lap. "I'm an onmyouji."

Mashiro's eyes widened. "Ah," he said, mind working quickly. It made sense now. Sumeragi. The name itself was famously connected to all the inner workings of the mysterious and unexplained. No wonder the boy had an otherworldly presence. He communicated with the dead on a daily basis.

Kanaye was a bit slower to process the information. "Onmyouji? You mean like ghosts and exorcisms and stuff like that?"

"Subaru-kun is a very important person," Seishiro supplied, gazing around at them seriously. "He's in fact the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan, which has been protecting Japan for centuries." He turned back to the boy, smiling indulgently at him.

Subaru blushed even redder under Seishiro's gaze.

Mashiro's jaw nearly dropped. "The head of the Sumeragi clan is a sixteen-year-old boy," he mused in disbelief. He was a little dizzy thinking about what an important person he had saved. It could have been bad for Japan had the boy died, he realized. Very, very bad.

"Seishiro-san," the boy said, a hint of exasperation in his timid voice. "You don't have to make it sound like that. I'm really just an ordinary onmyouji!"

"There's an oxymoron for ya," Hokuto declared sarcastically, shaking her head. "Mou!"

They all had a good laugh then, except for Subaru who watched Seishiro with pleading eyes. "Seishiro-san," he said with a sigh. "Really…"

Seishiro rested a hand on Subaru's head and ran his fingers through soft hair. "Just telling the truth…Subaru-kun."

Kanaye stared at the two in fascination for a moment, his mind calling back an image of the two cuddling in the hospital. Even now one could tell, just by body language, that they were close. It was nice, he thought, to have someone you could depend on. He was a little jealous of their fortune.

Hokuto noticed where his gaze was and giggled. Leaning close, she whispered, "They're a cute couple, don't you think?"

Kanaye couldn't help but grin at her infectious smile. Looking back at the two--Subaru who was smiling and Seishiro who was laughing--he had to agree. He glanced at Mashiro, who had propped his chin on his fist in boredom. He scoffed at the jerk and turned to Hokuto. "So…what are we going to eat?" he asked, following her lead and picking up a menu.

"I want barbeque," Mashiro said dully.

Kanaye glared at him. "They don't have barbeque here," he snapped, unnecessarily sharp. He wiped the mean look off of his face as the waiter returned bearing a tray of smoothies. He took them with a smile and nodded slightly as the waiter took out a small notepad to write their orders down upon.

"Well, what's good here?" Mashiro asked aloud, eyes expressing his slight annoyance with the whole situation.

"Don't mind him--he's always like this," Kanaye told the waiter quietly.

"I want sushi!" Hokuto announced, passing her menu forward with sparkling eyes.

"Sashimi for me," Seishiro smiled cheerfully. He turned to Subaru expectantly.

Subaru fumbled nervously with his menu. "Ah… Um… That is to say--I'm not really hungry," he finished lamely.

Seishiro snatched the menu from his hands and passed it to the waiter. "He wants grilled yakizakana."

"S-Seishiro-san!" Subaru protested, reaching for the stolen menu unsuccessfully.

"Tsk, tsk, Subaru-kun--trying to diminish yourself even further!" Seishiro accused fondly. "Besides, I saw you looking at the yakizakana so I know it's what you want. It's one of your favorites so don't try to fight it. You're still a growing boy, after all."

"Hu! Hu! That's our Sei-chan!" Hokuto cheered as Subaru sunk lower and lower into his seat. "Way to take care or our Subaru!"

Mashiro suppressed a chuckle at the trio's antics and chucked his menu at Kanaye, a playful smile creeping onto his face against his will. "Just order me tempura, Yoshido."

"Oh, so _now_ it's okay for me to order for you!" Kanaye snapped, eyes flashing.

"Of course. I told you to," Mashiro replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Hokuto giggled and Kanaye snarled. Meanwhile, Seishiro gazed at Subaru, who was casting furtive glances in return.

"Fine! Get him some tempura then," Kanaye said harshly to the waiter. "And I want yosenabe! Hurry up--I've been a waiter myself and I don't tolerate others' sloppiness too well!"

The waiter gaped and blinked pitifully before crouching low and scampering off like a cockroach.

"Geez, Yoshido. You didn't have to screech at him like that," Mashiro admonished dryly.

"I wasn't screeching!" Kanaye screeched.

He rolled his eyes. "You're _still _screeching."

Hokuto burst out laughing. "Stop _flirting_, you two! You're as bad as Subaru and Sei-chan!"

_Pfffffft._

A banana and a peach smoothie were both spit out simultaneously.

"WHAT!" Kanaye shrieked, mopping up his mess with a napkin.

"That's not funny," Mashiro said, crossing his arms and refusing to look anywhere except at the sky.

Seishiro propped his chin on his hands with a chipper smile. "I think that it's quite funny," he quipped.

Subaru remained quiet, softly suckling his strawberry smoothie. He was grateful for once not to be the one taking the brunt of the usual teasing. Though he could swear that Seishiro's foot kept brushing his. That had to be by accident, though…right? He peeked at Seishiro's face, but the older man wasn't looking at him. He sighed. Things between them just kept getting weirder and weirder.

"Hahaha! Sorry, sorry--couldn't resist!" Hokuto explained, waving a hand delicately. "I mean…you two really are cute together." She grinned at the glowering looks she received in response.

"Well, what shall we talk about until our food gets here?" Seishiro asked politely, successfully diverting the growing tension. He suppressed the urge to smirk as he rubbed his foot against Subaru's under the table.

Kanaye glanced at his watch nonchalantly. "We could talk about work, I guess. Subaru-san seems to have a very interesting occupation, after all."

"To say the least," Mashiro added.

Subaru made a soft noise of protest as all eyes turned to him. "It's not really that interesting," he said quickly, eyes dancing nervously from person to person. "I just try to do my best in helping those in need to be at peace, that's all!"

"That brother of mine," Hokuto sighed dramatically, "always putting the entire world on his shoulders and then making light of it!"

Subaru searched for a change of subject desperately, racking his mind for a distraction. "Um. S-Seishiro-san runs a veterinarian clinic!" he said brightly, shoving the conversation to the older man and returning to his strawberry smoothie.

Seishiro's eyes brightened in delighted surprise. "Ah, but I am just a lowly veterinarian working irregular hours," he sighed. "It's hardly impressive."

"I would have pegged you for a more daring occupation," Mashiro said bluntly, settling his dark eyes on the older man.

"I beg your pardon?" Seishiro blinked, unprepared for the statement.

"Maybe something more, I dunno, dangerous. Maybe a government investigator or a bodyguard if you will," Mashiro explained further, swishing the peach drink around in his glass. Seishiro's eyes widened. Mashiro could feel Kanaye glaring at him for his blunt rudeness. Subaru was staring at him blankly while Hokuto looked strangely worried.

Seishiro laughed heartily. "Well, all I can say is that I'm flattered!" He took a swig of his drink. "But I'm afraid I lack a great many things that would allow me to pursue such careers! Courage, for one thing."

"Seishiro-san, that's not true at all," Subaru disagreed vehemently. "You have plenty of courage…" he trailed off, noticing the odd looks he was getting. "Never mind," he breathed.

Seishiro smiled gently, a smile meant only for Subaru. "Thank you, Subaru-kun. But operating on sick animals hardly compares to what people like you do."

Hokuto cleared her throat, stealing the attention from Seishiro. "I don't work at all," she announced. "I go to school, take care of Subaru, and indulge in my hobbies of making clothes and cooking delicious desserts! Oh! And on the side, I play matchmaker." She winked at Kanaye. "We're an odd group--an onmyouji, a vet, a schoolgirl, and whatever you two do! You mentioned being a waiter, Kanaye-kun?"

Kanaye drooped visibly. "I got fired," he sagged. "Because I missed work too much these past weeks."

"Ouch! Wouldn't your boss give you a break because of the circumstances?" Hokuto asked with concern.

Kanaye shook his head violently. "Nah. He hates me. He's a total asshole anyway. Don't you think so, Mashiro?"

Mashiro seemed to consider this for a while before nodding in agreement. "Yeah. I'm going to quit tomorrow."

"Quit?" Seishiro repeated questioningly.

"I worked the same job," Mashiro explained. "I'm a piece of driftwood when it comes to work. Done a bit of everything. Mostly I work the same jobs Yoshido does. He's a lost pup when it comes to work--even though he's already nineteen."

Kanaye scowled. "That's not true! I'm fine on my own!"

"Who was the one calling who last time I didn't follow you right away, Yoshido? _Who_!" Mashiro demanded in a threatening voice.

"Not listening," Kanaye said in a mock-sweet voice as he covered his ears.

Hokuto snickered, thinking evil thoughts about matchmaking to herself. Life was fun when fate kept hurling such perfect couples her way. "So Mashiro-kun, how old are you anyway? You said Kanaye-kun's nineteen, so…?"

"Twenty-one," he supplied.

"Hm. That's nice," she giggled. "Though really…when it comes to love, age doesn't matter!"

"What's that have to do with anything?" Mashiro asked defensively, afraid of where she was taking the subject.

"You know, Subaru is sixteen and Sei-chan's twenty-five--that's nine years between them!" she snickered. "It's so scandalous, and they still don't let that stop them!"

"H-H-Hokuto-_chan_!" Subaru sputtered, speaking for the first time in a while. "Don't joke like that!"

She smirked, obviously proud of her deduction. "Oh, don't be so _shy_, Subaru."

Subaru looked desperately to Seishiro for help, but the man was glancing in a different direction. "S-Seishiro-_san_!" he whined.

Seishiro nudged Subaru's leg sensuously underneath the table but gave no other indication that he had heard the boy. Soon, though, it became clear where his attention was directed. "Food's coming," he declared excitedly, eyes shimmering.

Subaru sighed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi stepped lightly down stone steps, his boots making soft taps as they unsettled old dust. The shrine had been old--abandoned. It had served as a perfect getaway for meditation. His own apartment was quite nice, really--that wasn't the problem. There had been so many police and investigators in and out of the complex since his younger self's fall and the death of a neighbor called Kurosato a few weeks earlier. He found that a separate location served his needs much better. He glanced at his watch.

Almost time. True, he'd be a little late, but with luck it might work to his advantage. He wasn't really hungry, but Yoshido Kanaye had insisted that he make an appearance. In retrospect, the boy was probably merely proud of his fashion creation. Kiyoshi scoffed. He felt like he was sixteen again--dressed in shiny leather pants and boots. His shirt was a form-fitting silk-red overlaid with a leather vest that was only halfway zipped. The chains and silver trinkets running the full-length of his body were what made the outfit unique. His sleeves, however, made him feel a bit queasy. Imprinted on the red fabric on each arm were ornate, twining dragons. It directed his mind to the end of the world in 1999, a battle he by all rights should have been participating in.

Too sharply it called to attention the ludicrously surreal situation. Time was something no man had ever successfully manipulated. It was too unpredictable, and even the men who had dared cross swords with it had ended up wallowing in defeat. Scientists, idealists, magicians, and even onmyouji had tried to control the element. There was no controlling it. It was unheard of for a man to leap ahead or behind. Some accepted that the past was fixed and some believed the future was foreordained--that memories of the distant future could be unlocked just easily as memories of the past. And he had no reason to believe differently until now. Dreamseers and psychics (even himself) had had premonitions and visions of future events. It was easy to believe in a set destiny.

This reality challenged all he had ever believed in. If he was nine years in the past, perhaps he could change the future. He was no stranger to sacrifice, and he knew a change could not be wrought easily. But with enough work and enough heart, maybe he could obtain his new wish. Perhaps he could manipulate his destiny in this loophole he had landed in. He would not be certain unless he attempted--that much he was sure of.

Walking at a light pace, he made his way to an expensively trendy area in Shinjuku. The restaurant was busy, that much he could tell from a distance. It was open-court style with a lot of teenagers sauntering in and out. It seemed just the kind of place Hokuto would pick for a luncheon. Taking a deep breath and steeling his heart against turbulence, he entered. Almost immediately, he spotted the colorful crew he was supposed to be meeting. They looked like tropical wildflowers, vibrant and bursting to life amongst the overwhelmingly ordinary inhabitants.

As he walked across the red-and-white tiled floor, he was all too aware of the appraising gazes that he was getting. Some eyes lingered long, and that made him swallow hard against paranoia. He had become a recluse in the later years of his life--not that he had ever been prone to liking crowds in his youth. At that moment, he wanted very much to find a dark place to curl up in. He knew that the notion wasn't a healthy one, but not much about him could be considered healthy anymore--physically or mentally.

Seeing the reflection of the man in his smoothie glass, Kanaye spun around to face him. "Hamada-san!" he sang happily, grabbing a chair from the next table over and dragging it beside his own. "You actually showed up!

Kiyoshi froze, eyeing the surprised gazes of the group with apprehension. His instincts were telling him to get away as quickly as possible. His eyes met his younger self's for one long second before he took the plunge. He took a seat.

"Hello," he greeted politely, not looking away from those familiar green eyes he had seen in the mirror so long ago.

"Hello," Subaru said in reply, a tense smile forcing its way onto his face.

"Kiyoshi-san!" Hokuto bubbled, grinning from ear to ear. "How are you? We've already got our food but if you'll give me just a sec I'll get a waiter over here! Yoo-hoo! Waiter!" she yelled, waving her arms in a most noticeable fashion.

Mashiro was glaring at the new arrival that had just taken a seat in between him and Kanaye. "Who invited you?" he hissed in a barely audible whisper.

Kiyoshi pointedly ignored him as he reached for the menu Hokuto was handing him. He trained his eyes on the tiny print, making his decision quickly. "Grilled yakizakana," he murmured, handing the menu to the waiter. At Hokuto's surprised look, he blinked. "What's wrong? Is it not any good here?"

"Oh, no!" Hokuto recovered with a smile. "It's just that…that's what my brother ordered. See?" She gestured to the steaming fish in front of Subaru. "And I think it's a good choice. If you want, I could get him to give you a piece to try."

"No, no--that's okay," Kiyoshi said sheepishly, settling back in his chair.

"Well, why don't we get introduced?" Kanaye joined in, smiling like a saint. "I don't think you've met Subaru-san and Sakurazuka-san yet, have you Hamada-san?"

Kiyoshi nearly jumped from his skin the minute the names rolled off Kanaye's tongue. His singularly visible gold eye looked up to meet the gaze of none other than Sakurazuka Seishiro. No matter how well he had barricaded his heart, it still beat ferociously in his chest. He was just as broken on the inside as he had been that night he had retrieved the umbrella for the man. The gaze held for several long seconds before Kiyoshi closed his eyes and inclined his head slightly. "I'm Hamada Kiyoshi--pleased to meet you."

The name struck discord in the Sakurazukamori--Kiyoshi could tell in the slight tensing of a tendon in his neck. But the man quickly recovered and plastered an overly bright smile on his face. "I'm Sakurazuka Seishiro; the pleasure is mine."

Kiyoshi tore his eyes from Seishiro to stare at his younger self. It was decidedly the most bizarre experience he had ever had. While it was true that he was no stranger to gazing at what seemed to be his own reflection in many ways (he was a twin to Hokuto after all), this was entirely more complex. The boy he was seeing was not merely his once-upon-a-time likeness; he was his past self. An uncorrupted, naïve version that he knew and remembered. All of those feelings bottled up due to the elusive budding of young love--he had known them once, too. He had felt every fiber of feeling with all of his being…just as this younger version was at this moment in time. Yet, there was something that could not be breached in those emerald depths. There was something there that he could no longer identify with, and so the sensation of seeing a total stranger also meshed terribly with the knowledge of his own experiences.

Young Subaru also felt the pull of gravity. The molten gold eye of Hamada Kiyoshi pierced his soul. He felt as if it gazed deep within him--stripping him of what little guard he held. There was some sort of connection between himself and this strange man--he had noticed it immediately. A dark feeling churned within his gut, warning him of danger. He gulped as he noticed that everyone was staring at him in expectation. Hokuto was grinding her teeth and beginning to look annoyed at his lack of introduction. He quickly bowed his head forward in the hurried fashion that he was often embarrassed of. "Ah! S-Sorry! I'm Sumeragi Subaru and I'm very pleased to meet you, Hamada-san!"

Kiyoshi nearly laughed aloud. So this was how he had been. This was how awkward and childish he had moved and spoken. He felt something warm in his chest--a feeling akin to fondness but not akin to fondness. Perhaps he was merely longing for the lost innocence the young one possessed in abundance. He was secretly jealous as well.

"I can't believe you're actually wearing my creation!" Kanaye said brightly, gazing in appreciation at Kiyoshi's attire. "You look fantastic--I just know you're gonna make it big!"

Mashiro glowered.

Hokuto leaned in with an excited air. "Oh, yeah! I almost forgot about that! You told me all about it when we met at the snack machine, Kanaye-kun! You're going to be Hamada-san's modeling agent! Did you dress him in that outfit?" Her mouth was moving with such speed that none save Kanaye could keep up. "It's so pulled together! I love it--especially the red-dragon sleeves and the leather vest!"

Hokuto was looking Kiyoshi over with a satisfied expression, and he was smacked hard in the face with a sense of déjà vu. When he had been young, Hokuto had always looked at him in such a way after she had finished dressing him up. He found that in the light of her glinting grin, he could almost smile for real.

"He really is beautiful, too," Hokuto said to herself, nodding. "So long and slender… I bet he'll be instant success in the industry!" She gave Kiyoshi an energetic thumbs-up. She then noticed the sour look on Mashiro's face. "What's the matter, Mashiro-kun?" she giggled.

Mashiro rested his chin on his fist and played with his food uninterestedly. "I don't like him," he stated calmly, pointing his chopsticks at the man to the right of him.

Kanaye wadded up his napkin and threw it at Mashiro's head. "That's so rude, you big, fat lug! You can't just say that as if he's not even here! I mean, for the love of God! What's your problem with Hamada-san anyway!"

Kiyoshi made no move that he had heard or cared about the conversation. Seishiro muffled his laughter at this and Kiyoshi glanced up to glimpse his amused gaze. Seishiro turned his gaze to the younger Subaru instead. The young Subaru blushed.

"Okay, fine," Mashiro groaned moodily. "I won't talk about him as if he's not here." He turned to Kiyoshi noncommittally. "I hate you." He then turned back to munch on his tempura as if what he had just said was the most commonplace thing in the world to say.

Kanaye was bright red with anger. He was almost violet. "Why do you always do this to me! You're nothing but a brute--an embarrassment to civilized society!"

Mashiro nodded in agreement, which only served to ruffle the blond-haired boy more.

"Arrrgh!" Kanaye's arms were flailing.

Hokuto shrieked with delighted laughter. "Ohohohohoho!" The shrill sound immediately quieted the two arguers and prompted worried gazes from a great many of the other customers dining for lunch. It became such a problem after a few minutes that Subaru began making shushing noises to quiet her down, hanging on to her shoulders to keep her in her seat.

"H-Hokuto-chan!"

"It's so wonderful!" she announced, though hardly anyone could see what was so amazing about the bickering.

Seishiro was watching the interaction with a silly grin on his face, every now and then munching on the virtually untouched portions of grilled yakizakana from Subaru's plate.

After a few minutes, Kiyoshi received his own grilled yakizakana from a terrified waiter. He didn't have much of an appetite. For some reason, he felt queasy. His insides could have resembled a washing machine--the kind where you can see the clothes violently twisting and tumbling around. He was trying so valiantly not to stare at Seishiro, lest the older man become suspicious or worse--recognize him. If anyone was going to recognize who he truly was, he thought, it would be Sakurazuka Seishiro.

Glancing up at the man who was seemingly engrossed his food, he noticed the slightly evil smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. How odd, he thought. What in the world could he be thinking to warrant such a mischievous expression? His eyes darted to Subaru as the young boy started to twitch, fidget, and blush. Interesting, Kiyoshi thought. He had a notion of what was going on. If he could only glimpse underneath the table…

"And I wanted to tell you, Hokuto-chan--it's the coolest thing!" Kanaye and Hoktuo were talking nonstop, Kiyoshi distantly noted, coming back to reality with a jolt after staring at Seishiro and Subaru for so long. He listened to their incessant chatter, picking up a glass of water to pour down his suddenly dry throat. He put the glass to his lips.

"When I first saw Hamada-san, he had the most exotic feature about him--!"

Kiyoshi straightened up, mouth opening in all-out panic.

"His eyes! They were diff--!"

Kiyoshi choked. At those words, he dropped the glass. It shattered on the red-and-white tiled floor.

Kanaye never completed his sentence. Instead, all eyes swiveled to Kiyoshi--some in anger and some in concern. Kiyoshi caught Kanaye's eye--conveying silently that the fact that his eyes were mismatched was not to be made public knowledge.

Kanaye's eyes widened fearfully at Kiyoshi's stormy countenance. After a few seconds of shocked confusion, however, it seemed he understood.

"His eyes were such an interesting shade of amber," he finished quietly.

Mashiro was eyeing Kiyoshi in pure distaste. "What was that about, Hamada-_san_?" he murmured threateningly. "Or are you prone to breaking anything that's made out of glass?"

Kiyoshi had a notion that Mashiro was indirectly referring to the mirror he had broken in Kanaye's apartment. He took a deep breath and smiled unconvincingly. "I'm just clumsy sometimes," he tried to reply with good humor. It didn't work. The atmosphere remained tense and awkward.

Luckily, Hokuto came to his rescue. "Aw, that's too bad!" she laughed gaily. "You'd better practice being graceful then if you're going to be a model! What if you have to get on runways, huh? Then what? You know, I could help you. When we were small, Subaru and I were subjected to all kinds of balance and concentration drills! I could lend a few!" She furrowed her brows for a minute, chewing on her lip. "Of course, Subaru here is still clumsy no matter what! But yet he can be graceful when he's working. Mou!"

Subaru looked indignant. "Hokuto-chan--"

"Course you can always blame it on Sei-chan, ya know. Subaru is more prone to falling when Sei-chan is around! Call it chance if you will…" Hoktuo said, nodding to herself.

Seishiro beamed. "Ah, but if only Subaru-kun would fall _for _me," he batted his lashes at the boy in an unnerving way. It even made Kiyoshi nervous.

Subaru choked on his food and immediately reached for the drink nearest to him. After swallowing several gulps of what was left of a strawberry smoothie, he sighed in relief.

That was, until Seishiro smirked devilishly at him.

"Subaru-kun," he said sweetly, voice like honey. "That was mine. You drank from my cup."

Subaru glowed like a beacon. "S-S-Sorry, Seishiro-san," he squeaked, shoving the glass at the older man.

"Ahahaha! Subaru-kun, Subaru-kun…" he laughed, shaking his head. He tutted and looked at his watch. "Oh, dear. I do believe it's time for us to make our exit. If Subaru is to make it to his next job on time we're going to have to leave now, I'm afraid." He rose from his seat gracefully, grabbing the coat that was thrown over the arm of his chair and shrugging it on in one effortless motion. He grabbed Subaru's jacket and held it open so the boy could simply step into it. Subaru didn't seem very comfortable with the display but complied regardless.

Hokuto, not missing a beat, hopped up and smoothed the wrinkles out of Subaru's jacket. Then she plopped a matching gray-and-red hat atop his head. "There," she said proudly. "Now you be careful, Subaru. It's your first job since being released from the hospital. Sei-chan, you'd better make sure he doesn't overwork himself!"

Seishiro saluted her humorously. "Yes, m'lady," he said with a bow. "Pleasure seeing you again, Kuroki-san and Yoshido-san. Ah! And it was nice meeting you, Hamada-san."

Kiyoshi felt a pang within his chest. Never, in all of his life, had Seishiro called him anything but "Subaru-kun". Hearing a foreign reference slip from those lips in relation to him stabbed at his heart like a saber. He watched wistfully as Seishiro and Subaru slipped from view. They made a handsome pair. Kiyoshi's heart constricted. He felt like a complete stranger inside his own skin.

"Well," Hokuto said, masking worry over Subaru with conversation. "That was certainly a good lunch, wouldn't you agree?"

"Un," Mashiro said, finishing off the last of his tempura.

Kanaye rose from his seat. "Well, I think it's safe to say that I'm absolutely full!" he laughed, stretching his arms above his head. "Are you about done, Hamada-san? I know you haven't had as much time to eat as the rest of us."

Kiyoshi glanced at his not-even-half-eaten food. He couldn't bring himself to eat anymore. "I'm finished," he replied politely, pushing his plate back.

Hokuto took out a handmade purse. "Well, I'll get the tab. Subaru and Sei-chan both left some of their money with me, so don't worry about the cost."

The waiter approached with a flimsy ticket as if on cue. He extended it to Hokuto's outstretched hand, but just as she was about to grab it, Mashiro snatched it away.

"I'll pay for it," he said simply.

"But--!" Hokuto began, trying in vain to wrestle it back from Mashiro's large hand.

"I said I'll pay for it!" he said again, this time a little more sharply.

Hokuto frowned at him for a long moment but then smiled in understanding. "Why, that's very gentlemanly of you," she laughed lightly, glancing at Kanaye to see his reaction.

Kanaye raised an eyebrow. "You're going to pay for it _all_?" he asked, feeling slightly guilty for his lack of financial assets.

"Yeah, yeah," Mashiro grumbled. "Don't get all moony-eyed on me."

Hokuto glanced at the sky. "Goodness. It was such a gloriously sunny day when we got here and now rain clouds are crowding out the light! Mou! I hope Subaru and Sei-chan don't get caught up in the rain that's coming."

"It's going to rain?" Kanaye asked, turning his attention to the rapidly darkening sky. "Oh, man! It's been raining so much lately. Why can't it just stop?" He sighed and walked over to Mashiro, gripping the handles of his wheelchair. "Well, I guess we'll go take care of the tab then. Thanks so much for inviting us to lunch, Hokuto-chan."

She beamed and flashed a peace sign. "No problem! It was great!"

"Oh!" Kanaye turned to Kiyoshi. "What are you planning on doing the rest of today, Hamada-san?" he asked curiosly.

Kiyoshi's visible eye darkened. "I have a few things to attend to."

Kanaye huffed in disappointment. "Okay…but you have to come by later so we can design more outfits! We have to plan a photo shoot, too!"

Kiyoshi wanted to run away at those words. He had always been pretty camera-shy, even as a boy. Onmyouji were advised against having photographs taken since certain spells could be transmitted through the articles. So of course, he was naturally wary of the idea. But seeing as he needed an inconspicuous income and had practically committed to the occupation already, he gave the boy an affirmative nod. Then, before he could muse on his decisions further, Kanaye and Mashiro took their leave. Only he and Hokuto remained.

He jumped when she laid a gentle hand on his arm. "Smile, Hamada-san," she urged gently, eyes shining.

He tried.

She shook her head at his attempt. "I noticed that you seemed a bit down today," she started a bit uncertainly. "You didn't eat much of your food and that's not healthy. If I didn't have a date to make, I'd take you with me to an ice cream parlor and force-feed you!"

Kiyoshi truly smiled at her words this time.

She fidgeted, just a slight twitch of her shoulder. Ones who didn't know her well would have scarcely noticed. "Sorry if I seem a little forward. It's just…you need to take care of yourself. You seem too much like my brother in that way somehow…" she trailed off softly.

Kiyoshi had a hard time finding his voice. _Hokuto-chan… _Gods, he wanted to hug her. He wanted to hug her and cry and cry and cry. But he couldn't. He wasn't her Subaru anymore. He wasn't the Subaru she knew. He was her brother, but he was warped and twisted beyond recognition--like barbed wire.

Barbed wire cut.

It made others bleed.

"Well," she said quietly. "I'll see you later."

"Goodbye," Kiyoshi murmured softly, watching her spring away from him like a fluttering fairy or some energetic sprite. The sky was dark over her.

_Goodbye…_

Kiyoshi had no idea how long he stood there. He was trapped in a state of drifting, and only when the drops of icy rain began to fall did he truly come back to reality.

END CHAPTER TEN.

* * *

_Theme Song for this Chapter:  
"Rain" by Breaking Benjamin

* * *

Hello. Wow, what a strange chapter. It was, practically all one scene. Considering how much I usually jump around, it felt very strange. I feel like I didn't get much done here to tell the truth. (But I wrote 7,000 words and I don't want it to become too long.) I feel that I got some good character development squeezed in but that's all. No long drawn-out scenes of suspense, no sexual encounters, and no dreamlike descriptive passages. Mou. How boring. Perhaps you enjoyed it anyway. I certainly hope so. This chapter was needed somewhere along the way so I can begin weaving paths together. (evil laughter commences) Ahem. Anyway, here's no good news. RETURN of the famed U.S.T. (unresolved sexual tension) next chapter. Just to give you perverts something to look forward to._

**Hellcat81**--Yes, I do believe that at some point everyone feels a bit sorry for Subaru. But the fact of the matter is that he's also very lucky to have someone who loves him so much. 'Tis one of the strengthening points in Tokyo Babylon in my opinion. Subaru doesn't even fully comprehend just how much his twin loves him. Mashiro is…odd, yes. Thanks for the lovely comments on my story and I hope you continue to stick around for future installments!

**Tekoo**--Well, don't worry about me. As long as I make the commitment to someday finish, I will. Even if it takes me five years! And yes, we all feel for Kiyoshi/Subaru. I mean--good grief--I feel enough to write a fanfic revolving around him! Does that make me obsessed? As for your question regarding Seishiro's absolute slowness when it comes to kissing, you should take it up with him, not me. I have no control over him, I swear. As for Hokuto, how can anyone not highlight her? She's brilliant and she lives on! I'm sorry for my lack of poetic descriptiveness in this chapter--I was going for vitality. So no images of crimson butterflies with decaying wings sinking further and further towards the ground. But thanks (as always) for your genuine words--they really encourage me! Your review deliveries are not required or necessarily expected, but I dearly appreciate them all the same!

**Subaru Sumeragi**--Another review! Yay! (I said this in response to your first few lines.) Yes, Kiyoshi is disjointed and awkward at the moment. He's stuck in la-la land trying to decide if where he has been transported to is the truth or a mere delusion. We must excuse him. Ah, CLAMP…that "I…you" quote is abruptly cruel. But one must admit that there is a strange sort of finesse in the delivery, considering the correspondence to the wind theme that obscures Subaru's memories in Tokyo Babylon. It also makes the interaction of Seishiro and Subaru seem very intimate in that moment--so intimate that we the readers cannot even interrupt. Thanks for the review!

**Amy**--Er…I'm very glad you liked it. (is sweating slightly) I'll make a note to write one especially for you in the upcoming chapter. But I like to tease, I warn you. Not to mention, I get a bit embarrassed when writing such things. Still, thanks for citing specifically what you liked!

**YaoiKitten**--Thank you for that. Coming from someone like you, whom I hold in esteemed highness, it means a lot to me. I'm so glad to have someone helpful and honest like you reading my story. "Good fanfiction is when you can remove the fan characters, replace them with originals, and still have the story work." That is a great piece of advice, which I will try to keep in mind from now on whenever I write. I'm glad you enjoy the original characters (or have thus far) because more often than not, such creations grate on some readers' nerves. I try not to think of them as "mine". They're just themselves. They are present to function in a story--to move it forward and provide links.

**Subaru's Voice**--I don't think what you said was cheesy. Although I must admit that reading it made me hungry for some reason. (I attribute this to fact I haven't eaten all day long.) The words "ready to be served" and "cheesy" make me want to shovel food down my throat. Guess that means I need to go eat after I reply. I hope the ideas keep flowing and I hope you keep reading! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapters. I hope that my brain cooks up more ideas! (corny snicker)

**ZeroZeta**--You find it tragic how much older Subaru has changed? Well, me too! I t's really illuminating when you place the older battle-worn Subaru against his naïve, innocent younger self. But do you really want Kiyoshi!Subaru to get together with Seishiro? Where will that leave younger Subaru? Or perhaps you meant that in a broader sense. Again, I wish I could tell you everything will work out, but life and fate is never merciful. I can't make promises. Thanks for reviewing!

**Hiruka-chan**--Wow! You really left wonderful words for me. I adored how you mentioned things like lit devices and personification. Metaphors, similes…I adore how the English language allows us to use them so loosely. Thank you for citing specific lines that you liked. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Although I'm nowhere near the level of a published writer, I appreciate your kind comments! Maybe someday when I'm in retirement I'll write a book. But I don't think I could write as a career. I can't force creativity, sadly. It must come from my soul, which is a dark and scary place by the way. Thanks for the lovely review and I hope I hear from you again soon!

**Sakurazuka-chan**--Hey, Nee-san! I'll always excuse you because you're one of my favorite people. Besides, you're a lot better than I am. I still have a lot of catching up to do as far as your fics go. (Bad Tanuki! Bad!) I'm sorry that you're all drugged up lately. I hope you get better! How are you, by the way? I really need to catch up with you! Gah! Super-glomp-hug!

**Sakanagi**--Thanks for the reassurance on the subject of Kiyoshi. It's a difficult thing because he spiritually died when Seishiro died, and now he's slowly starting to pulse with life. Maybe the ice around his damaged heart will melt, but maybe he's too far-gone to be saved. We shall see. Ah, you are clever when it comes to Hokuto. I believe that she is more aware of Kiyoshi (at least subconsciously) than anyone. It's funny that you mention the Kurosato-discovery scene. Some believed that maybe I should have put a little more drama in Seishiro's actions. But I, like you, desire a little less bluntness. I'm glad you reassured me on that point, as it was something my thoughts continued to linger on. Still, I agree that it was a considerable break in his normal act. Then again, so was his action of losing his eye for Subaru in the original TB storyline, and he didn't seem to deliberate on that. (laughs at the poor in-denial Seishiro) Thanks for the in-depth review!

**Tsubaki-hana**--Thank you for those wonderful comments! It warms me that you believe I've captured at least some part of Seishiro-san. It made me giggle how you wrote about Setsuka. Yes, if you saw her, you probably wouldn't have that long to live I'm afraid. She's not in many fanfics and that is a shame. Also not in many stories is Lady Sumeragi. I want to include her in some fashion in the future or maybe in a separate story. I rather like the lady. Thanks for the glowing words and I hope you stay tuned for more!

**J.J. Blue**--Must you be so kind? You put me to shame when it comes to reviewing! I love how you muse openly about your thoughts in your reviews. It's fascinating how we can all read what's going through your head regarding different aspects of the story. I hope that I can plant tiny pieces of the old Subaru in Kiyoshi!Subaru. It's easy to forget that he and young Subaru are one and the same soul sometimes. Ah, it's funny that you take back your admirable comments concerning Yoshido Shigure. Indeed there is something secret about him that is connected to Kanaye. It remains to be seen if the detail makes it into this story. Great observation. He wasn't really hunting for Kanaye. He just gave the details to fill the silence. As for mystery, I'm still trying to decide if I need to approach it.

I'm glad you liked Kiyoshi's dream. I didn't want it to be terribly long because I had already written a chapter with horrendously long dreamscapes. Besides, Kiyoshi doesn't sleep much--you're absolutely right about that. Aw, I love Hokuto and Subaru. I'm glad you do, too. I'd glad that my attempt to close off Kiyoshi!Subaru was successful. Even the young Subaru is detached from the material world--given his close contact with spirits. The older Subaru is even worse since he lost whom he loved. Really, so much of Seishiro's advice is ironic in Tokyo Babylon. It almost makes you cringe. I'm glad you liked the Seishiro/Subaru interaction. I tried to bring things full-circle and pull us out of the deep, black abyss and back into reality.

You're right about Mashiro--he indirectly saved the man he hates. Oh, it's rich! I'm glad you like Kanaye and Mashiro so far. Ah, and you mentioned the sakura tree. Yes, it is a monstrous thing of beauty, isn't it? To me, the tree is like a human being. It can be lovely; it can be hideous. It can be gentle or cruel. I love your babble about Tokyo Babylon. I do believe you and I could talk for hours on the aspects of the series. We see a lot of things in a similar manner. You mentioned the dreamseers last. I can't say anything about them just yet, but it's nice that you mentioned them. Thanks again for such an astounding review, and (as always) you have my most sincere thanks.

**Astarael**--Ah, what a sweet thing to say! I've been out of fandoms before and it feels a bit empty to tell the truth. I hope I can continue to encourage and coax you back into the X fanbase. Or perhaps into Tokyo Babylon, my favorite. Thanks ever so much for your lovely words and I will continue to keep writing--you can bet on it!

You guys never fail to say kind, interesting, and intelligent things! Thank you so much!

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: "My hand…in Sei…shiro-san…my hand…in his chest…I…I killed…him…"_


	12. XI Premonition

Heat rises, roaming for room in a raging heart. Hearts hammer in Hell, having no home to return to. Why is it that we must walk down the withered path to death? Why must we Love, and Hate, and Cry and Scream along the way?

Can one person truly touch another, or is the distance across the swollen river too great to row across?

Yes.

Basking in loneliness, the shadow sews a grave (for himself).

**Illusory Tandem**

Subaru took a deep breath as he sunk to his knees. The threads of his long-withholding shields fell away and dissipated as they neared the ground. He opened his eyes to look at the empty floor before him. All that was left of the once-whole vase sustaining lush flowers was a single violet. It had shrunken and dried out yet remained beautiful as if it had been meticulously pressed. T here were miniscule shards of glass scattered around it like glitter in an interestingly symmetrical pattern. Subaru unclasped his fingers and leaned forward to grasp the stem of the delicate flower.

"Goodbye," he whispered softly, "Nanami-chan." He sighed and got to his feet. He looked sadly at the despairing man who sat across the room in an old, dusty chair. The man was heaving deep, uncontrolled breaths and wringing his hands. Subaru took slow steps to his side and looked down into his unfocused gray eyes.

"Katsutoshi-san."

There was no indication that the man had heard him. Subaru knelt down before him, holding out the violet in front of him.

"Katsutoshi-san."

With a snap, the man started--his hands stretching out to snatch the dried violet from Subaru's gloved fingertips. Subaru stood and stared down at the man. Katsutoshi had brought the violet close to his face and bowed his head in silence. Something broke in him and he began to cough and choke in agony. He stared at the flower, angry tears brimming over the corners of his lids. "You," he whispered hoarsely, "What have you done with Nanami-chan?"

Subaru sighed sadly. "She's moved on."

Katsutoshi's white hands tensed. "What did you do to her?"

"Her soul has passed over and is now at peace," Subaru answered as gently as possible. It was not uncommon for loved ones to go mad after such experiences. Especially one as guilt-ridden as this. For ten long years, Katsutoshi had blamed himself for his daughter's death. Blaming Subaru was merely his way of coping with his grief.

"What was that light? Where is Nanami?" he asked pleadingly, voice dropping to a pitiful pitch and losing its fury.

"That was Nanami-chan. She doesn't want you to blame yourself anymore. She forgives you," Subaru said softly.

The man wept openly. "But I killed her!" he protested. "It was my car that--that…"

Subaru's mind called up the images Nanami had given him. The memory was from a child's point of view--a child who had been playing hide-and-seek and had hidden beneath a vehicle. There was a brief scream as a wheel moved toward her and then red as it overtook her fragile body. Subaru winced and shut his eyes.

"...but I opened the door and got out as soon as I realized. God, the sound was so sickening…I heard her bones cracking…I knew it was Nanami…and I knew that she was dead. But after the funeral…even then I still saw her sometimes. Mostly at night. I thought she had returned to me, but I couldn't ever touch or hear her…" Here, he fisted his hands, destroying the delicate flower Nanami had left behind. He watched its dusty remnants fall to the ground in disbelief. "_Nanami-chan_!" he screamed, voice breaking.

Subaru merely stared at the man, helpless. He couldn't understand his pain. He couldn't understand his sadness. He felt like an intruder on a private moment. He backed away to retrieve his coat and hat and slipped them on. He returned to the man's side to bid farewell. "She really has forgiven you, Katsutoshi-san, and she wants you to be happy. Please, remember that. Goodbye." He bowed and turned to leave. He shut the door behind him, but caught the man's chilling last words before he continued on.

_Damn you. Don't you know that I can't let her go? I've lost everything. Damn you!_

Subaru took the stairs down at a quick pace, preparing himself to step out from under the overhang and into the rain. Hopefully, he could reach Seishiro's van before he was completely soaked. In a way he was grateful for the rain because it would mask some of the warm streams fleeing from his eyes. He stepped down the last stair, felt the first droplets of rain, and was startled as it abruptly stopped. Momentarily confused, due partly because he could still hear the water all around him, he looked up to see a layer of black fabric.

"Hurry, Subaru-kun."

"Seishiro-san," Subaru whispered, eyes widening the sight of a sopping wet Seishiro. The older man was stripped of his overcoat, which he held above Subaru's head as a shield against the rain.

"Hurry, this won't help you much before long," Seishiro murmured, nudging him forward.

Together, they made a run toward the van--Subaru struggling to keep up with Seishiro's longer strides and Seishiro struggling to slow down so his shield would not waver. Seishiro opened the door for Subaru, practically lifting and stuffing him in before closing the door. Then, he dashed to the driver's side and leapt in. He was drenched. His dress shoes squelched and his shirt and pants sagged with extra weight.

Subaru felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he cast a sidelong glance at the man. Seishiro's pink undershirt now clung to his skin possessively, making the color appear less distinct with its almost-transparency. Subaru could clearly see the complexion of flesh and the contour of defined muscle. Eyes roaming upward, his sight came to rest on the beads of water running rampant down the man's jaw line. Further still, and he saw his eyes--deep, glowing ambers that burned like flickering embers in the darkness.

Seishiro had removed his glasses and was stubbornly trying to dry the lenses on his unwilling shirt. His thick, wavy hair was matted down to his head, bangs hanging down past his eyebrows almost into his eyes. Stray pieces ran past his ears and stuck to his cheekbones. Unexpectedly, Subaru felt the impulse to brush those pieces back behind Seishiro's ears. His hands twitched, lifting a few inches before he regained control of himself.

"I do apologize for having forgotten my umbrella, Subaru-kun. It was unusually careless of me," Seishiro said, breaking the silence with a slight chuckle in his voice. "But we survived, didn't we? You fared a little better than I did, I think." He looked Subaru over. The boy was slightly damp but that was about the extent of it. "By the way, would you mind cleaning these for me?" he asked, extending his glasses to the boy. "I've tried, but I think my shirt is a little too wet to get the job done."

Subaru made a tiny noise halfway between "ah" and "eep" as he fumbled with the glasses. Once he had them in his hands, he cleaned them rhythmically between the folds of his shirt. He could feel Seishiro's eyes on him as he exaggerated his focus on his task. After a few minutes he carefully gave the glasses back to Seishiro, who slipped them on with a cheerful smile.

"Ah, that's better," he exclaimed, grinning. "Thank you, Subaru-kun."

Subaru glanced at him timidly, eyes flitting from the wet jacket in his lap back to the man's smoldering eyes. "But Seishiro-san…I'm the one who should be doing the thanking."

Seishiro turned the key to start up the engine. Subaru jumped at the sudden sound. "What for, Subaru-kun?"

"Y-your jacket!" he exclaimed, surprised at his own outburst. He clamped a gloved hand over his mouth self-consciously and began more quietly, "You came out in the rain to give me your jacket. You should have waited here for me. Then, you wouldn't have gotten soaked…" he trailed off.

"But then you would have gotten soaked, and while I'm sure you would have looked very beautiful, you have just finished a job and are thus very susceptible to getting sick. Really, I did what any loving husband-to-be would do given the circumstances!" Seishiro explained enthusiastically as Subaru pulled his hat down over his eyes in embarrassment.

"Sei-shi-ro-san," he groaned weakly, face blazing. He had a feeling he was approaching the luminosity of a light bulb.

"Ahahaha, you're so cute, Subaru-kun!" he chuckled, pressing down on the gas to leave. "Anyway, how'd the job go?"

Subaru withdrew into himself, becoming silent as he stared down at his hands. "It wasn't very difficult," he began after a few minutes of patient silence. "But it hurt when I finally realized what happened."

"Hurt?" Seishiro asked, flitting his gaze askance. "But I thought you said the job wasn't difficult. Are you injured?"

Subaru shook his head. "No, no. It hurt here." He laid his hand over his heart. "The situation was so sad, Seishiro-san. So sad... I came with the understanding that a man was being haunted by a young girl. What I didn't know is that this girl was his daughter, whose death he had blamed himself for since it happened ten years ago."

"Then he's harbored a terrible guilt for ten long years. I imagine he was pretty torn up," Seishiro commented.

"In the end he was," Subaru admitted, "but in the beginning he was completely unaffected. I didn't know that Nanami was his daughter until she told me herself. You see, she transferred some of her memories to me before she left. And I saw how she died." Subaru gripped the fabric of the overcoat in his lap tensely.

Seishiro waited passively for the boy to continue.

"She was playing hide-and-seek. She hid underneath her father's car." Subaru shut his eyes in remembrance of tires squealing and a little girl's short-lived shriek.

"So it was a tragic accident," Seishiro said quietly. "I feel sorry for him, but I can see how he twisted it to be his fault. In reality, however, it was simply that--a tragic accident. But a parent will always ask, What if I had been watching her? What if I had checked my mirrors better? Made sure she was in the house first? What if I had checked the mail--then I would have been a little later and perhaps she would have moved by then."

Subaru swallowed hard against a lump in his throat. His voice sounded crackly when he spoke again. "That's just it, Seishiro-san." He raised his head to look at the man's profile. "Do you know who she was playing hide-and-seek with?" Again, his mind called forth the images Nanami had given him. This one was of a boy, his lips moving in a crude smile. "He told her to hide there; they were both hiding from a neighbor, but he told her to hide underneath their father's car. He was older than she was, and he knew their father would be leaving for work soon. And worse," he saw in his mind the black eyes crinkled with a crooked smile, "he watched her. She could see his feet a while off. Yet he remained rooted to the spot, smiling all the while--simply waiting for the car to crush her body!" His shoulders shook with emotion--all of it threatening to spill out in one spectacular display.

Seishiro watched the turmoil bleed from Subaru's presence. "Who, Subaru-kun?" he asked gently, letting up on the gas and pressed the break as they came to a stoplight.

Subaru took several, small hurried gasps as tears flooded over his lower lids. "Her _brother_!" he sobbed. "It was her brother, Seishiro-san! How can a _brother_ do that to his _sister?_!"

Seishiro licked his lips. No wonder Subaru felt so strongly in this case. He had a sister of his own. The idea of sibling brutality must have seemed unthinkable to him. He sighed and reached out a hand to the boy, brushing the tears from his eyes. "It's all right," he whispered as if he were talking to a shivering animal. "It's not your fault. Shh. Subaru-kun, you're exhausted. Listen, I--"

An obnoxious honking noise startled the two of them. Seishiro cursed under his breath as he looked up to find that the light had already changed to green. He floored the gas and sped ahead just as the light went to yellow again, rolling his eyes at the line of traffic that got stuck behind him as the light changed back to red again. "Sorry about that, Subaru-kun."

Subaru didn't reply.

They reached Subaru's apartment complex in what seemed no time at all. They had both remained mostly quiet after the conversation revolving around Subaru's job. After he parked the van, Seishiro hopped out into the pouring rain before Subaru could protest. However dry he had managed to become during the trip there was completely undone by the pelting rain. He opened the door for Subaru and snatched his overcoat from the boy's lap. He again held it above the boy as a shield.

"No, Seishiro-san!" Subaru protested. "You--"

"I'm already soaked, Subaru-kun," he interjected. "Now, come on."

Subaru blushed as Seishiro helped him down. His shoes splattered in the puddles as they raced towards the doors. Once inside, Seishiro tucked his wet jacket under his arm and guided Subaru toward the elevator. They pointedly ignored the curious stares of passersby. Inside the elevator, Seishiro punched the button that would take them to the top floor. Subaru lived in a penthouse, after all.

"Seishiro-san," Subaru began, face flushing. "I…" He twisted his hat between his hands uncertainly. "I'm sorry."

Seishiro leaned back against the railing and regarded the younger boy with a neutral expression. Small droplets of water dripped from his bangs, splattering the tile floor steadily. "What for?"

Subaru held his gaze for a few, precious moments before turning his eyes downward. "In all this time, I never once thanked you for your kindness."

A careless smile, then, "My kindness?" He moved closer, propping his elbow on the wall in the space just directly above Subaru's head.

"Yes," Subaru whispered breathlessly, staring up at him in wonder. "You always drive me when it's far away--and sometimes even when it's not. And your jacket…" He broke off when Seishiro leaned over, his nose a mere two inches from Subaru's face. His heart jolted to life, rhythm increasing in insistent speed as he stared into the older man's eyes. "Y-You kept me from getting soaked."

Seishiro's smile darkened as he reached for Subaru's hand. "It was," he brought it to his lips and pressed the fabric gently, "my pleasure."

Subaru sucked in a tense breath. "Hahh…" The air in the elevator seemed suddenly terribly suffocating. It was stuffy, humid, and very hot. It was also hard to forget that standing over him was a very undeniably wet Seishiro. He was very aware of the rapid intensifying of his own breathing and prayed to god that Seishiro wouldn't notice.

Seishiro did notice. Smirking, he leaned his other elbow above Subaru's head, not letting go of his hand and therefore causing the boy's arm to be raised. His overcoat fell to the floor unnoticed. He heard Subaru's breath become even more forced, coming in short and ragged puffs. He chuckled deeply, tilting his head toward the boy.

Subaru was growing more and more desperate with each passing second. His lustrous eyes were wide in a delicious mix of confused fear and desire and flitted nervously in focus from Seishiro's eyes back down to the broad expanse of his chest. He swallowed audibly as he watched the tense muscles around him flex. Seishiro's shirt was so transparent that he may as well have not had it on.

"Sei…shi…ro…san," he attempted, placing his free hand against his chest. His plan had been to push the man away, but thus far no willing strength was forthcoming. He squirmed his hand that was trapped above his head against Seishiro's grip. Seishiro's retaliation was to intertwine their fingers.

"Subaru-kun," he rumbled in low voice. Seishiro balked at the sound of his own voice. That hadn't been right, he told himself. It fell two steps short of being seductive. It was a stretch too hoarse and a tad too shaky. He took a rattling breath and tried again. "Subaru…kun…" This time, the result was much worse. Even to himself, he sounded desperate.

Perhaps the worst part was Subaru's reaction. His eyes widened even more so than before and darkened from emerald to hunter green. Some of the liquid from Seishiro's bangs had sprinkled the boy's face. The droplets had turned into streams, which Seishiro followed with his roaming eyes all the way down to Subaru's full, glistening lips. Subaru's pink tongue darted out to wet them and retracted just as quickly. That's when, against his will, Seishiro's body pressed forward, pinning the younger boy to the wall.

Above Subaru's startled gasp, he heard the distinct ding of the elevator. They had, after what seemed like hours, arrived at the top floor. He felt Subaru wriggle against him, an action that had a sensual effect despite its intent.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry!" he heard Subaru wail.

Creasing his brows, he looked into the boy's eyes to find that he wasn't looking back. Subaru's attention was directed toward the open elevator door. Shrugging, he moved his gaze there, not surprised when he found that a person was standing there. The woman was quite old and her hair was held up in a hairnet. There was a definite, if not over-exaggerated frown on her face. To Seishiro it looked rather like an upside down "u". Perhaps she had suffered a stroke earlier in life, and that was the reason for her sagging face.

Abruptly releasing Subaru and moving away, Seishiro gave the lady a charming smile. "My apologies," he said smoothly. "We'll be on our way." He picked up his coat from the floor and made to leave.

The lady didn't budge. When she spoke, she had a voice to match her bulldog looks. "Next time, request a towel from downstairs and dry off before traipsing around leaving goddamn puddles for me to clean up."

Seishiro was startled at her words. So that's what she was mad about, he mused as he observed the slippery mess of water he had left around his feet. Examining the woman's attire more closely, he deduced that she was a janitor. She had a pushcart beside her, which carried a vast array of cleaning supplies. "Yes, ma'am," he chirped cheerfully, grabbing Subaru's arm and pulling him from the elevator into the hallway. Subaru bowed embarrassedly to the woman and stammered out at least ten more apologies before Seishiro managed to pull him away.

Subaru fiddled with the lock on his door for a minute before letting them in. He quickly removed his boots before turning to Seishiro, who lingered at the threshold between hallway and doorway.

"Well, it's quite late, isn't it?" Seishiro said mildly. "I suppose I'll be on my w--"

"N-no. Please, c-come in," Subaru stuttered uncertainly. At Seishiro's pleasantly surprised expression, he reddened--suddenly feeling the absolute need to explain himself further. "That is, I could get you a t-towel and m-maybe an umbrella before you go." He had no idea why he felt so edgy. His tongue felt lazy and swollen, unwilling to participate in anything that resembled normal speech.

"That's…kind of you," Seishiro murmured slowly as he stepped inside and discarded his own water-laden dress shoes. He removed his socks as well.

"Come into the kitchen," Subaru said quickly. "I'll be right back."

Seishiro listened to the quick padding of Subaru's footsteps as he hastened to the bathroom in search of towels. He settled himself on a stool to wait patiently for the boy's return. Subaru didn't make him wait long. He was back within two minutes, carrying a few neatly folded towels under one arm and something dark red under the other.

"Here," he said, flopping the towels in Seishiro's lap. "You also left these last time," he murmured, holding out a large pair of Chinese-style deep-red pajamas. "Hokuto-chan washed them."

Seishiro waggled his eyebrows as he took the clothes from Subaru's arms. "Why Subaru-kun, you naughty boy. Giving me pajamas! It's as if you're asking me to spend the night."

Subaru glowed. "It--no! That's not--! That's not what I--! I just wanted you to have something dry and--!"

Seishiro rested a hand on Subaru's shoulder, something the boy reacted to with a jump. "I was only kidding, Subaru-kun."

Subaru hung his head. He didn't know what to say when the man teased him like that. Not only did he not know what to say, but he also didn't know how to act. "You can use the shower if you want," he whispered after some time, fumbling clumsily for a thread of conversation.

Seishiro blinked. "Don't you want to use it first?" he asked. "You're not soaked, but you're still damp. Plus, you had that job earlier. You must be tired."

"But Seishiro-san! You can't stay like that! You need a shower--you're completely drenched compared to me," he protested. He put his hands on his hips and fixed Seishiro with what he hoped was an adamant glare. "You're taking one first and that's final!"

Seishiro grinned in amusement, slightly taken aback by Subaru's firmness. He laughed. "Well, if you're going to be so cute for me, then I suppose I should give in to your request."

The bridge of Subaru's nose colored but his determined expression did not waver.

Seishiro stood and gathered his towels and pajamas. As he passed Subaru, he leaned close to his ear. "Feel free to join me," he whispered.

Subaru covered his ear and squeaked indignantly. He rushed to the stove, far away from Seishiro. "I'm going to make tea!" he announced in a high-pitched voice. "Tea! Lots of tea!"

Seishiro hung his head in playful disappointment and trudged toward the bathroom. Soon after, Subaru heard the running water of the shower. It was very hard for him to concentrate on the boiling of the tea after that.

After Seishiro was done with the shower, he went into the living room and flopped unceremoniously down onto the couch. He could hear Subaru still scurrying around in the kitchen, no doubt trying to play perfect host. Within moments the boy, clothes still damp in places, entered bearing a tray that held a cup of tea and a bowl of what looked like miso soup. He shyly offered the tray to Seishiro, hands trembling. Seishiro shook his head and smile fondly. Subaru-kun in a nutshell--polite and shy to the point of hilarity.

"I reheated some miso soup that Hokuto-chan left in the fridge," the boy explained. "I know it's not much but we didn't eat dinner out and I know it's already so late but I had to do something so--"

Seishiro reached up and placed a finger to Subaru's lips. He promptly stopped babbling. "Thank you, Subaru-kun. Miso soup is one of my favorites and simply perfect after a night out in the rain." He pulled his hand away, dimly enjoying the memory of the softness of Subaru's lips on his finger. "By the way, where is Hokuto-chan? Usually, she would have joined us by now."

Subaru's shoulders jumped skyward at the question. The question served as a reminder to him that they were alone, the implications of which did not sit well in his stomach. "S-she's on a date tonight," he said quietly. "That's why she left the miso soup." The gleam that came into the older man's eyes at that statement did nothing to quell the edgy fluttering in his chest.

"I see," he replied cautiously, closing his eyes and taking a sip of his tea. "Well, that was thoughtful of her to leave you dinner. Thank you for preparing this for me, Subaru-kun, but where's your own?"

"Oh! I'm going to reheat mine after I clean up," he said hurriedly. "Actually, I think I'll go shower now, but I won't take long."

Seishiro swiveled his tea around in his cup, idly observing the reflection of his carefree expression with a feeling of mild disgust. "Subaru-kun," he called as the boy was leaving, "don't lock the door."

Subaru stopped mid-stride, face a painting of bewilderment. "Huh? Why?"

Seishiro's smile was wolfish, as if the expression itself could devour the boy whole. "How else am I going to peek?" he asked, turning around to give his cutest pout.

Subaru shook his head rigorously, made a ridiculous noise, and fled with a whiny resounding "Seishiro-saaan!"

Seishiro toyed with the idea of peeking on the boy, his memories of the last time he had seen Subaru in the bathroom resurfacing with a searing insistency. Unlocking a door wasn't a difficult spell to manage, after all. In the end, he decided against it; his audacity in the elevator had probably frightened the boy enough. He leant back and shut his eyes, replaying the moments in his mind. After about two minutes, trained manners kicked in and he stood. Subaru-kun had prepared his meal; he might as well show the same courtesy. He was always searching for various ways to earn brownie points.

Subaru was toweling his hair dry as he exited the bathroom. He sighed, letting all the tension drain from his shoulders completely. The shower had been a welcome luxury. He was still sore in places from his fall--it hadn't been that long since he had been released from the hospital. As soon as he reentered the living room, he felt nervous tension creep back into his body. Seishiro was sitting on the couch with a sunny smile. Something about that man--something about him put Subaru on edge and sent rushes of excitement flowing through each and every one of his limbs. He detachedly wondered what kind of effect, if any, he had on the older man.

"Welcome back, Subaru-kun! Wow, that was quick. I bet you didn't want me to get lonely," Seishiro smiled brightly as the boy's face flushed red. "I already reheated your miso soup and made you a cup of tea. I waited to eat with you. Come here," he patted the spot beside him on the couch. "Eat with me."

Subaru took a deep breath, gulped, and padded slowly across the floor--his socks muffling the sound of his footsteps. It was ridiculous how, even when he thought he didn't want to go to Seishiro, he always wound up doing so when the man asked. The slight creaking of the couch seemed deafening as he eased down beside him. As soon as he had settled, Seishiro placed a tray in his lap. Subaru blushed, a sense of impoliteness railing at his senses. They really oughtn't eat on the couch. But still, it felt nice regardless of unorthodoxy. The experience seemed intimate in its own way.

It was quiet and peaceful as they ate. At times, Subaru would hear Seishiro stop eating, something he found discordant with the man's personality considering his usual gluttony. During the silence, he would feel eyes on him--burning eyes that threatened to consume him. But as soon as he gathered courage to look up to meet the gaze, he would hear the slurping sound of Seishiro eating again.

Subaru sipped his tea gratefully. Seishiro was better than he was at preparing tea. He didn't know what the man did differently, but it tasted better when he made it. But then, Seishiro was good at that sort of thing. Sometimes when the man goofed off his talents would show. Subaru had often seen him hold a pitcher high above his head and pour to glasses on a tray without spilling a single drop of liquid. He was like a professional waiter in a high-class arena or perhaps the picture of the perfect party host. He was the kind of man you should show off to people, Subaru thought. Blushing, Subaru reeled in his thoughts. Surely this type of thinking was dangerous. Why should a person dwell so completely on another?

"Subaru-kun, are you okay?" came the concerned voice of the one he had been thinking about. "You're not eating much. Is the job weighing so heavily on your mind? It happened ten years ago, Subaru-kun. There's nothing you could have done."

Subaru blanched, feeling instantly guilty. In truth, he should have been thinking about the case. His mind should have lingered on sympathy for the poor individuals involved. Yet here he was, thinking of Seishiro-san instead. "Ah, I'm all right," he said softly, eating with a little more vigor than before. "I was just listening to the rain."

"The rain, hm? Well it certainly is coming down hard out there. I think it's actually gotten worse since we got in." Seishiro leaned over and put the tray with his empty dishes on the floor. When he spoke again, Subaru couldn't see his eyes because of the lamp-glare on his glasses. "You know, some believe that when it rains, the earth is crying. Crying in hope of cleansing itself of that which corrupts it. People are like that too. When they cry, they are purging themselves of negative emotions like sadness, loneliness, or fear. Sometimes they even cry when they're angry."

Subaru stared down into his tea, the brown-green of his eye staring back up at him blankly. "Some people cry when they're happy too, Seishiro-san," he said quietly, voice almost covered by the rain. "Is happiness negative?"

Seishiro turned his head from the window and closed his eyes, a crooked smile coming across his face. "It seems that there is always an exception to the rule…Subaru-kun." He stood then, stretching his arms high above his head and yawning like an overgrown cat. He leaned backward, back popping and crackling with his movement. "Thanks for the meal. Now where's that umbrella of yours? I promise to return it later. By the sound of things, I'll definitely be needing it out there."

At that moment a brilliant flash illuminated the room, throwing everything into a harsh white horror-movie. There was an electrical buzzing sound and when the flash dissipated, all was left in the dark. After a tense silence, a boom of thunder shook the room, vibrating the windows and lamps. The rain began to pelt the roof even harder.

"The electricity," Subaru whispered breathlessly. "Seishiro-san, where are you?" He had no idea why his voice decided to sound so urgent. It wasn't as if he was afraid of the storm. He jumped when a strong hand reached out and gripped his forearm.

"I'm right here," came the reply to his question.

Another flash of light threw Seishiro into perspective for a brief moment. Subaru suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to keep the man with him, at least until the storm passed. "Oh Seishiro-san, you can't go out in that!" he said breathlessly, searching for the words to convey his feelings clearly.

He felt Seishiro move closer. "Then what are you suggesting?" he asked deeply, voice a tinge excited.

Subaru could feel the man's breath on his cheek. He was very close. Subaru was glad that it was dark, because he knew his face was past crimson on its way to burgundy. No matter how he went over the question in his head, it sounded like a proposition. "You have to stay over," he whispered, voice trembling on the low notes. Subaru heard a little click and then there was a light. It was Seishiro's cigarette lighter.

Seishiro smiled. "Let's find some candles or flashlights, okay? Then I can get a blanket to sleep on the couch."

Subaru gasped. "Oh, no! You can sleep in my bed!" As soon as the sentence left his mouth he felt like kicking himself or banging his head repeatedly against the wall. Seishiro's mouth had gaped open fish-style before a very nasty smile appeared. "I-I mean that I'll sleep on the couch!" Subaru quickly added, watching with relief as Seishiro's expression returned to normal.

"Subaru-kun--I couldn't hog your bed all to myself when I knew you were in here on the couch. I'll sleep on the couch." Before Subaru could protest, he swept the boy into a dark embrace. Subaru's face was pressed into the open 'v' of Seishiro's neckline. "It's either I sleep on the couch or I sleep with you in your bed, Subaru-kun."

Subaru gasped and stumbled away, body shaking from the unexpectedly close contact. "All right," he said sheepishly. "You can have the couch."

Seishiro stuck his lower lip out in a mock-pout. "And I was so looking forward to our midnight rendezvous…"

Subaru wilted. "Seishiro-_saaaan_…!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi dimly noted that the sakura tree held little protection against the rain. He served it during lonely nights and yet it could not offer protection from something as simple as rain. He emotionlessly burned a white ofuda between his fingers, watching as the paper curled back and crumbled beneath the heat of spiritual onslaught. Of all the confusion in his worthless life, there was one thing that baffled him the most.

The rebound. Where were the spiritual rebounds that the strength of his spells darkly promised? Since his arrival, he had taken the correct measures to protect himself from the event of a sakanagi. Yet, thus far he had not seemed to need the protection. True, he hadn't used that many black spells that would entail the powerful effect of a sakanagi, but he had used a few of them. But the sakanagis never returned to him. Were they lying in wait, blocked by an unholy force until the time was right? Would they ravish him all at once when he could not protect himself from their effects? Unlikely. Yet as unlikely as his rational side said it was, he was still unfamiliar with the effects of apparent time travel.

Sighing, he turned his face to the sky and let the icy water sting his face. He would never get used to the screaming. But at least in this time, he knew that two voices in particular were absent from the mix of frightened and angry shrieks. Ever since he was a little boy, the shrill calls for help emanating from the sakura tree had rung in his ears. In a way, he should have been cross with them. The voices had originally been what lured him to the tree's demonic presence. But these feelings of anger were negated by other feelings--feelings that cancelled them out so completely one might suspect him of madness. For without the voices, he would not have been led to Seishiro. His profound love for the man made the anger worthwhile. But it didn't matter now. Maybe it didn't even matter in the first place.

What use was Love if it didn't make a difference in Fate? Did Love bring him to 1990? Or did Despair?

Kiyoshi wanted to open his mouth and cry out to the world. Having been exposed to Seishiro and Hokuto and even his younger self had poked at the ashes in his heart--made him search desperately for burning remnants of life. It had hurt so much. God, he didn't know he could feel worse pain than the death of Seishiro by his own hands. And yet, when Seishiro had looked him in the eye without recognition--had called him something other than "Subaru-kun"--his heart had shattered all over again. Clutching at his chest, he dug his nails into his skin. He understood now the use of having no emotions, and he envied this world's Seishiro. He would that he could tear this beating machine from his chest; he wanted to crack through the ribs to grasp it in his hands.

Exhaustion mounted behind his eyes, weighing them down and forcing them to close. What a pitiful sight he knew he must make. Even Hokuto would turn her face from the sight. A skinny, black-clad figure of arms and legs--curled about itself shivering in the rain. The blood was washing from his body, no doubt tinting the muddy puddles around him with crimson. He wondered if a family was now missing its father because of him--he wondered if there was a tormented lover out there, condemned for tonight to sleep alone.

Sleep was crushing him. Before his drifted away, he made a plea to the entity above him. _'Please,'_ he begged. _'If he comes, keep me from his sight.'_

_/Please…/_

_If he comes._

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The space in front of him turned to darkness and a red sakura petal fluttered gracefully from the shadows. Leaning over, Kiyoshi grasped it in his hand, squeezing it cruelly until blood dripped in a steady stream from it. Looking up at the sky, he frowned at how utterly black it was. No moon, no stars, no clouds. The air was heavy with the impenetrable thickness of death. It smelled wet and electric, the kind of atmosphere you observed when there were filthy carcasses strewn about beneath a tree's roots. He peered around. This world was a world of gray--like an old-fashioned movie.

He was in front of a smooth body of water, perhaps an expansive lake. Peering down at the glasslike surface, he saw his face; it was a sagging face with haunted spaces for eyes. A golden eye was visible from beneath a few straying pieces of hair. It glowed like a distant star in an unreachable galaxy. Kiyoshi lost strength as he looked at it and he fell to his knees, doubling over as he shivered in grief. He had to get closer to it, that beautiful golden color--he would never tire of gazing at it. He raised a hand to caress the skin around it softly. It was, after all, his Seishiro. "Love," he whispered softly, not daring to blink lest he lose sight of that last relic.

"Darling Subaru-kun," came the soft tenor of a man behind him. The sound floated to him as if from a far-off distance.

Kiyoshi froze. No, his mind cried. He was tired of hearing echoes of long-lost memories. An overspill of emotion caused him to blink against his will, and he lost sight of his reflection for a brief moment. When he opened his eyes again, he was met with a sight that made his skin turn from pale to ghostly white. His reflection had changed. His new haircut had disappeared to be replaced by his old one, and an uncovered green eye was staring back at him in horror. But his gold eye…was no longer gold.

"No…" he whispered, voice wavering madly. His vision had gone flat and planar. The gold eye was once again blind and covered by a film of white. He had turned from Kiyoshi to Subaru again, but that wasn't the worst part. Seishiro had gone away from him. His hands reached for the water desperately. "No, no, no, no!" he screamed, thrashing his fists through the water. Where was Seishiro? It had taken Seishiro from him! "No…" he threw back his head and wailed. "Seishiroo-saaaan!"

A chuckle sounded from behind him then, sounding much closer and much more solid than it had before. "Subaru-kun, what are you screaming about? I'm right here." Arms from behind enveloped him in a loose embrace. They were warm and safe. Unconsciously Subaru leaned back into them, breath hitching pitifully.

"Sei…shi…ro…"

"That's right." A mouth nuzzled the side of his neck fondly. He could feel the older man's form sitting behind him and he pressed backward desperately, thinking that somehow it was possible for them to meld together so they'd never be apart again. Seishiro laughed into his ear at his efforts.

"Seishiro-san," he heard himself moan. He clutched wildly at the hands that were draped over his stomach. In his efforts, he caught a glimpse at his own hands and almost cried out in elation when he noticed glowing pentagrams on the back. They had returned. He was Seishiro's again.

"Subaru-kun, what are you doing?" the man asked lightly, chuckling. "You seem upset."

Subaru craned his neck around to look the man in the face. Two mismatched eyes gazed into his own mismatched set. Yes, this was his Seishiro--the one from his time. Elation spread though his chest. He felt the man shift and suddenly he was much more comfortable. He was hugged firmly to Seishiro's chest and settled intimately in between Seishiro's legs. He sighed in contentment. He tilted his head up to snuggle his face just below the older man's jaw. He breathed in the scent of sakura blossoms. "You're with me," he said softly as a way of explaining himself. "You're really with me…" He half-turned in the man's grasp, so he could place both of his hands on the broad expanse of Seishiro's chest.

Seishiro's laughter was light-hearted and free. "You're silly, my dear Subaru-kun. So silly... I've been here the entire time…"

Subaru closed his eyes as tiny kisses were dropped sweetly onto his face. The feather-light touches trailed down his forehead, briefly touched his eyes, skipped his lips, and rained over his jaw line. "A-a-ah…" he moaned, silently amazed at how much power the man still held over him. The warmth and wetness made his head swim in delight and desire. Arms tightened around him, and suddenly the world was tilting. He found himself suddenly flat on his back, grass tickling him though his clothes. Seishiro's larger body came down to cover his, warmth meeting warmth in a turbulent collision. More kisses covered his jaw and neck, the onslaught both brutal and extraordinary.

"S-S-Sei…" Between excited gasps, moans, and whimpers, Subaru found it hard to get all the syllables of the man's name out, which seemed ridiculously long at the moment. "…shi…"

Playful eyes looked down at him then from a ridiculously handsome face. "Subaru-kun," Seishiro intoned deeply, his own voice a bit breathless. He descended like a bird of prey, capturing Subaru's lips between his teeth and nipping relentlessly before plunging his tongue inside and suckling roughly.

Subaru's body jolted and he pressed fiercely against Seishiro, arching his back in attempt to feel more of the man above him. He tried to speak but found that the effort was nothing more than a muffled waste of noise. Seishiro's tongue was swirling around in his mouth, tasting him completely. When Seishiro finally broke away to trail his tongue wetly down Subaru's neck, Subaru cried out, "Sei…shi…ro…san!" His own voice sounded foreign to him, it was so stretched and shrill.

Elegant fingers were busy relieving him of his shirt, molesting his skin greedily as they worked. Seishiro's tongue dipped in the valley above his collarbone and Subaru wrapped his legs around him in desperation, lifting his own body several inches from the ground. Breathing was an effort. Subaru whimpered and Seishiro slammed his body into the ground, grinding them both against one another. Too much, his mind wailed. Too much!

"Subaru-kun," Seishiro rasped, "are you…crying?"

Subaru was aware of the liquid trailing down his cheeks, but he shook his head vigorously and threw his arms more securely around Seishiro's neck. "Keep going," he begged. "Don't leave me…"

"Wait, Subaru-kun," Seishiro said, regaining control of his voice. He was looking away from Subaru out across the distance. His body stilled above Subaru. "What's that?" He pointed.

Mildly disappointed with the pause in their actions, Subaru craned his head around to stare in the direction where Seishiro was pointing. His heart quaked and his stomach threatened to leave him altogether. The water near them had turned from smooth and crystal-clear to swollen and murky. It was if a perfect illusion had lifted to reveal the pollution. A body floated facedown in the water not too far from where they were lying. Subaru pushed lightly against Seishiro and the man's warmth left his body. He rose and ran to the area closest to the body. All the while, a sickening sinking in his stomach told him that the corpse was something that should be very familiar to him.

He reached out and managed to grab hold of the fabric of the person's clothes. Tugging, he pulled the corpse nearer. The hair of the person was black and cut short, and around the person's neck was a very familiar beaded necklace. He gasped as he wildly yanked the body from the water. The clothes had once been white but were now soiled with thick mud, coagulated blood, and murky water-stains. Eyes widening, he realized that the garments had once been a white shikufu--a robe of the Sumeragi family's style. He took a few deep, rattling breaths before turning the form around in his arms. "No…" he whimpered. "No…!" At first, the decaying face appeared to be the face of his sixteen-year-old self. But his heart knew better.

An amused laugh abruptly cut off his thoughts. Slowly, he turned his eyes to Seishiro. The man was laughing as if he had just retrieved a worthless piece of trash from the water. "What is that, Subaru-kun?" he asked with a hint of darkness in his voice, eyes twinkling as he grinned.

Subaru gently laid her body in the soft grass before rising. Calmly, he walked until he was directly in front of Seishiro. He looked up into warm gold and icy white eyes. "It's Hokuto-chan," he said coldly. Then, emotions bursting out, "It's Hokuto-chan! It's Hokuto-chan! It's HOKUTO-CHAN!" His fists pounded over and over against the man's chest.

Seishiro grabbed Subaru's wrists, stopping his blows. Subaru watched as his sensual lips began to form carefree-sounding words. "Oh," he said with a shrug, "I was wondering where her body had gotten off to."

Subaru sucked in a breath. "Bastard," he whispered, mind playing back the memory of Hokuto's death as if it were a cheap videocassette. He saw her fall, blood decorating her chest like paint decorates a canvas. "You bastard…you killed her!"

"Yes," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "So?"

"You--you--I don't love you!" Subaru yelled, ripping his wrists from the man's grip. "I don't love you! I don't! I didn't! I _won't_!" His voice grew higher and angrier with each word.

"Oh? Perhaps you want to kill me then, Subaru-kun," Seishiro laughed cruelly. In a fluid movement, he pulled his hand back and thrust it forward towards Subaru's chest.

Panic filled Subaru's mind as another memory played fast-motion. If Seishiro killed him that way--if Seishiro killed him that way then--

Blood spurted.

Again, the world split in two and time-space bent and twisted around in a curse. Again Seishiro fell, Subaru's hand thrust sickeningly through his chest. Subaru was numb with stricken disbelief.

"_Seishiro-san…"_

It was happening too fast. He removed his hand, the single grotesque action pulling at his vomit-reflex, and Seishiro began to sink towards the ground. Subaru caught him and lowered him slowly. Even though he had known it would happen, he couldn't stop it. Subaru's eyes widened in terror as he watched the blood leak from the body in a steady river of red. Even though he had known what would happen, he hadn't been able to stop it. Seishiro, eyes wincing in pain, looked at him and whispered those heartbreaking last words just as he had done before.

"_Subaru-kun…I…you…"_

And then, he was gone--body growing cold as it became nothing more than a lifeless corpse. The deliverer of death became its receiver in one horrifying moment.

Subaru died inside. The world faded and was replaced by a rocking bridge, which crumbled to pieces around him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru bolted upright in bed, glove-clad hands trembling as they held the sheets in a death-grip. A crash of thunder punctuated his awakening. A flash of lightning threw into light his chalk-white skin and terrified countenance. He gasped for air and ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. _"Seishiro-san…"_ Rocking back and forth, he hugged his frail arms tightly around his shivering body.

"It's only a dream," he sobbed quietly to himself. "It was only a dream…"

In vain, he tried to banish to images of black and red and Seishiro from his mind. Haunted, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His intentions of getting up were barred by weak knees. The dream had affected him deeply. After a few minutes of struggle, he managed to wobble unsteadily in the direction of the kitchen. He never made in past the living room.

When he was faced with the sight of a sleeping Seishiro, his legs took on a life of their own, leading him to the side of the sleeping man. He knelt beside the couch. Eyes that had adjusted to darkness made out the sleeping figure quite well. Deftly, he pushed back the quilt covering Seishiro's body, fingers hovering barely over a chest that rose and fell in a steady rhythm. With a gasp of relief, he realized that Seishiro was still breathing, just as peacefully as one could imagine.

Wide-eyed, he drank in the sight of him as if he were dying of thirst. Rugged hair mussed from sleep's ministrations, an elegant face, a strong jaw, smooth shoulder muscles, and fingers that looked as if they should belong to a piano player. He felt a burning in his chest, and a feeling very foreign to him crept over his eyes. It was possessiveness. The way he saw Seishiro now--vulnerable as only someone could appear in slumber--he didn't want anyone else to see him that way. But it was wrong to feel that way, he fiercely told himself. Wrong! Taking a deep breath, he forced the sensation away. Silly. Why should he want to hide Seishiro away from the world? Such a notion was--it was selfish and fanciful, that's what. It wasn't proper nor was it a dignified characteristic of Sumeragi Subaru, Thirteenth Head of the Sumeragi Clan.

Still… He stretched a timid hand forward to softly sweep Seishiro's bangs from his eyes. He couldn't feel Seishiro's skin. He didn't know if he would ever feel its warmth beneath his fingertips. For the first time in his life, Subaru seriously cursed having to wear gloves. And for the first time, he seriously contemplated removing them. The thought quickly passed though, falling away to join other notions such as hiding Seishiro away forever.

Subaru chewed nervously on his lower lip. Surely these sentiments weren't natural. He wondered if perhaps they were brought on by teenage hormones or that coming-of-age everyone talked about when he managed to attend classes at school. But these reverberating sensations couldn't possibly be so shallow as that. They were all-consuming and vengeful, the flames that lit his heart. In all of his sixteen years of living, he had never felt anything so strongly or so deeply. He felt selfish and at the same time selfless. He wanted to keep Seishiro near, so therefore he was selfish; but by the same token, he was willing to give up anything for the man, even if it cost him his life. Tears leaked from his eyes, trespassing over cheeks that were hot with fever.

Seishiro chose that moment to open his eyes--eyes that widened at the sight of the late-night visitor. "Subaru…kun?" he mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes to ascertain he wasn't dreaming. The boy was so ethereal and pale, he seemed as if he would fade into nothingness at a moment's notice. He reached out, squeezing Subaru's shoulder more to convince himself the boy was really there than to provide comfort.

Subaru's lips worked soundlessly open-and-close as Seishiro stared at him in concern. There was so much he needed to say, but it seemed as if a stopper had shut in his throat. "S…Se…"

"Subaru-kun?" Seishiro murmured, propping himself up on his elbows. "Is something wrong?" The boy's eyes were round spheres that gleamed in the darkness. Seishiro could make out crystalline tears flowing from them. He sat up fully, scooted over, and guided Subaru into the spot beside him. Thunder shook the apartment and Subaru unconsciously squirmed closer to him.

For a long time he said nothing while his body shook with silent sobs. Seishiro took the opportunity to pull him close, encircling his arms around the slight body and tucking the quilt securely around them both. Subaru would talk in time if he waited with patience. Subaru finally lifted his head from Seishiro's chest to look him in the eye. Seishiro had never seen his eyes so wild with terror.

"Sei...shi…ro…" he managed brokenly, hands gripping Seishiro's shoulders in a grasp bordering on painful. "Sei…shiro…san…!" He was trying to convey with a mere look what he was feeling. To Seishiro, he seemed traumatized.

"Subaru-kun, what are you afraid of?" Seishiro whispered, pulling the boy's face against his chest protectively. After all, since he was a professional onmyouji, Subaru was not one to easily be spooked. That meant he had probably seen tragedy and been deeply affected by it or had at least dreamt of it. He rested a hand on the feathery head; it was sticky with sweat. "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked quietly in a voice he usually used when dealing with frightened animals.

Subaru nodded his head affirmatively.

Ah, Seishiro thought, I'm not surprised. "Do you want to talk about it?" he offered as he gently caressed the back of the boy's neck.

Subaru raised his eyes to Seishiro's in shame. "I--" he began unsuccessfully. "I…" How did one tell another such a shameful dream? He curled his toes self-consciously and tried unsuccessfully to turn away from the man in front of him.

"Subaru-kun," came Seishiro's voice sharply. "I've never seen you like this. Did you relive that little girl's memories again? T he one from the car accident?"

Subaru shook his head. "No…I…you…"

"You can tell me if you want to, Subaru-kun. I won't look at you in disgust or ridicule. It was simply a dream, and it could have been brought on by a lot of things, especially considering who you are. We all have bad ones every now and then, but we usually feel better if we talk about it with a trusted friend."

Subaru breathed in and out lowly, gathering his resolve. "It started out normal enough," he said a bit shakily. "We were all at McDonald's and Hokuto-chan was sticking French fries into my ear singing about how good they were. She was dressed in a hamburger costume." Here he tried to laugh, but the sound came out choked and pitiful. "I was dressed like a cup, compete with a lid and a straw for my hat."

Seishiro smiled. "And what was I?"

"An ice cream cone," Subaru admitted shyly, cheeks burning at the merriment that danced in Seishiro's eyes at the statement. "Well, anyway…she was being loud as usual and you were both making fun of me, but then…" he trailed off, mouth stretching out and face distorting in an attempt to contain his grief, "everything suddenly changed."

Seishiro furrowed his brows. "Changed?" Something about the cold deadness that had entered the boy's voice when he had spoken the last part unsettled him.

"Everything turned gray and the restaurant disappeared. I didn't know where I was and I couldn't hear anything. Everything sounded like static on a faulty radio station. It was all grays and blacks and whites and looked like a really old movie. I couldn't control my arms or my legs. But I looked down and the first bit of color was there on the ground…in the grass…" Subaru whispered.

"What color, Subaru-kun?" Seishiro was half-suspicious that the boy had perhaps dreamt of the past--when they had first met underneath the sakura tree.

"Red," Subaru shivered. "It was blood. Lots of it…everywhere…and it was coming from--"

Seishiro thought the boy was going to throw up for a second, for he had doubled over and turned his face away towards the edge of the couch.

"Hokuto-chan…" Subaru said hoarsely after a minute. "It was coming from Hokuto-chan…"

Oh, Seishiro thought, that explained it all. The experience earlier with his job must have indeed given Subaru nightmares. After all, the ghost of the little girl had shown him her memories, and the memories had suggested that her brother had been responsible for her death. Now Subaru was having nightmares about being responsible for Hokuto-chan's death. It was a perfectly normal response. "Subaru-kun, this probably comes from your experience earlier. Since that little boy killed his sister in the past, you think--"

"I'm not finished," Subaru broke in tersely, straightening up. "I'm not finished…" He swallowed and pressed on. "I was walking after that, and I kept walking until I saw--I saw you, Seishiro-san. You were smiling and talking to me, but I couldn't hear what you were saying."

Seishiro's eyebrows lifted. Interesting.

"And then I--I was hitting you over and over and over and I couldn't stop. You stopped me. And then you raised you arm. Again you were saying something but I couldn't make it out," Subaru rasped, closing his eyes. The next part was painful--so painful he could hardly speak it.

Despite himself, Seishiro was a bit anxiously to hear the rest of the story. He laid his hands on Subaru's shoulders, silent encouragement for him to go on.

Subaru's lips worked soundlessly for a few seconds before sound came out. "The next part doesn't make sense. Your hand was coming toward me and then everything was…twisting. Yes, it was twisting and bending somehow. And then," he gasped for air. "And then, my hand…my hand was…it was…"

"It was where, Subaru-kun?" Seishiro asked suspiciously, his tone too harsh but he didn't care.

Subaru gazed up, green orbs bright with grief and a new flood of tears. "Through you, Seishiro-san," he wailed, pitching forward dizzily. "My hand…in Sei…shiro-san…my hand…in his chest…I…I killed…him…"

Shocked, Seishiro caught him as he fell forward. Had Subaru lost his mind?

"The bridge…" he rasped. "It's fal…ling…"

Seishiro squeezed the boy tightly. "It's just a dream," he chanted as Subaru proceeded to cry his heart out with his face pressed against his chest. "It was just a dream, don't cry." He rocked him back and forth as if he were a small child, rubbing his back soothingly.

"Seishiro…san's…dead…" he whimpered mournfully. "Dead…"

"I'm not dead, Suabru-kun," he murmured into his ear. "I'm right here with you."

"Dead…"

Seishiro listened to the sounds of Subaru's muffled weeping above the rain and thunder. Something about the situation bothered him, prickled at his awareness. What was it? Surely, he wasn't upset just because the boy was. What was it? He closed his eyes, turning his body on autopilot as his thoughts plunged inward. There was a memory hidden deep within. It was a memory of blood and red lips whispering a prophecy.

"_You too will be killed by the one whom you love the most…"_

Opening his eyes, his body tensed up. No. That couldn't be possible. He almost laughed out loud. Was he worried about the little bet's outcome? No. Was he afraid he might possibly lose? Never. It wasn't designed for him to lose. Then, why was he feeling so on edge? Subaru had had a nightmare about him dying. So what? That merely proved that the boy cared for him. Or perhaps Subaru's subconscious was trying to tell him something. He gritted his teeth, suddenly feeling quite malicious and dangerous. He could drop Subaru out the window right now and watch his body vanish into the great below and not feel a thing. It wouldn't faze him. No, it couldn't touch Sakurazukamori.

If Sumeragi Subaru thought he was going to win the bet, he was sadly mistaken.

"Seishiro-san?" a hoarse voice called in the dark. Clumsy arms wound their way around his neck, awkwardly seeking warmth and comfort.

Seishiro donned his mask easily. "Yes, Subaru-kun?" he asked, revealing none of his inner anger.

Subaru's voice was small and timid, making him sound even more like a child than usual. "Seishiro-san," he whimpered. "Stay with me…?" The last word made it sound like a question.

Seishiro smiled and lowered his lips to the boy's earlobe, nibbling affectionately. "Of course," he replied, voice like silk. "But let's go someplace more comfortable, okay?"

Subaru nodded, too exhausted and distraught to care.

Seishiro slipped his arms around Subaru, lifting the boy as easily as if he were his favorite feather pillow. He padded silently across the floor, heading for Subaru's room. A tiny cry of protest from Subaru faded into quietness as soon as he laid the boy down on the bed. He crawled in with him, curling feline-style around his smaller figure. "Just relax," he purred, wrapping his arms around his trembling form. "You can sleep now. I'll chase the nightmares away if they come."

Subaru blinked sleepily, struggling against the temptation of sleep. "Sei…"

"Sleep," Seishiro coaxed, passing his hand in front of the boy's face.

"Seishiro-san…I…you…"

Seishiro yawned as Subaru finally succumbed to what was hopefully a more peaceful sleep. Just before he drifted off, he heard the distant rumbling of thunder--its earth shattering strength long since faded.

END CHAPTER ELEVEN.

_Theme Song for This Chapter:_  
_"Never is a Promise" by Fiona Apple _

Wow, I got nowhere in 10,000+ words! Go me! I got some good S/S interaction, but soon I'm going to have to roll out the carpet for resolution of the plot! Hope you liked it anyway. It's been far too long since I've updated.

**Tekoo**--I don't know if it's fate. Do you believe in fate? Anyway, thanks for the wonderful review as always. The shifting of the earth when Kiyoshi met Subaru and Seishiro was enough to give me goose bumps, but then again, I do know what is going to happen so it very well should give me chills. I'm glad you're starting to like Mashiro. May I join you in fangirling Hokuto? She'll be featured a lot next chapter, so don't worry about her absence this chapter. Yes, I agree with you that Kiyoshi is severely overlooking Hokuto's observation abilities. He'd better watch out. Thanks again for the review, I loved it very much. Don't feel obligated to keep reviewing, just write to me if it comes naturally.

…--I'm sure you're more capable of saying intelligent things than I am. I often find myself inserting both feet into my mouth. There's nothing wrong with generic responses; every person is unique and I know that regardless if they write the same thing. I wish you luck if you write fanfic, and don't be afraid. I'm nothing special and I'm sure you can write something you and everyone will love. Thanks for the SQUEE!

**Hellcat81**--Yeah, Mashiro is very unJapanese-like as you say. But I think Subaru exemplifies politeness more than enough for everyone else. If you think about it, Hokuto is also very un-Japanese at times in Tokyo Babylon (laughs). Seishiro's reaction? Well, I've give you a hint, it will be either good or bad. If you're wondering about if Subaru can change the future, remember that it's not an easy thing. I'm not even sure that it's possible (cryptic voice). Maybe Kiyoshi will get to embrace his twin before it's all over. But then again, maybe he won't. I guess it depends on my mood (evil cackle). Thanks for the lovely and in-depth review.

**Azurelle**--Excited? I'm flattered. I do think the momentous meeting was less dramatic than people had expected though. I didn't want to be anti-climactic. As for the ending, I know we all want Subaru to end up happy, but not everyone can be happy. Even if one person is happy, another will not be. It's important to remember that. It's all up to the decisions the characters make…or is it up to Fate? That's the ultimate question posed in X, ne? Thanks for the nice comments on my original characters. It's always been an uncertain area for me. You left such a wonderful long review that I don't think I can give a thank you that will give it justice! So I guess I'll end with a simple thank you!

**Soulreceiver**--Don't feel guilty. It's not all about reviews to me. I just like writing. Wow, those are really nice comments. I'm glad I have the ability to at least pull some people into my twisted little world. Ah, it won't take me five years I hope. It doesn't have that many story lines, does it? (chews her nails nervously) It'll be interesting to contrast and compare the younger and older Subaru as we go along; their outlooks and philosophies about life differ substantially at this point. Well, thanks for reviewing and although much didn't happen in this chap, I hope it at least got you off your tender hooks!

**J.J. Blue**--First, let me say that I have been reading your fics on your livejournal and I am deeply impressed with your ability to portray a story! I'm dying to read more and I really need to write better reviews for you. It makes me feel so guilty that you write such long reviews for me and I haven't given you squat. Perhaps I'll beta-read one for you to make it up to you. You really need to post that stuff here. Now, on to your review, thank you so much! (hugs you) I'm really glad you can tolerate my OCs. It's to my knowledge that most people have a difficult time with OCs. I picked Hamada because it's a common surname that rolls off the tongue well when you say 'Hamada-san'…and Kiyoshi means 'quiet'. Subaru is definitely not ordinary so I stuck the fast-healing bit in. As for Kanaye's past, you're too close to the subject for comfort. Mashiro is observing those around him for a reason, it's in his training and his nature to do so. Hahaha. I'm glad you liked Seishiro is this chapter. I like to write him less mature than most--he's really childlike inside (CLAMP said so!). As for Subaru's wish, I choose to keep you in suspense (though I'm not entirely sure that he even knows his own wish). I'm sorry the chapter almost made you cry. I wish Kiyoshi could actively participate in life. Maybe he'll come more alive as we go. I've wondered about the sakura as well. Is it something concrete or a dormant power lying in wait? And how exactly does it 'feed'? Thanks for the lovely review! You always get my mind working!

**Sakanagi**--I loved Seishiro's manly pink shirt, too. Heheh. I want to steal it, especially since it's now completely soaked from the past chapter. (goes to sneakily snatch it from the laundry) Hokuto is definitely someone Kiyoshi has overlooked, IMHO. Hokuto rocks, after all. You're right, with her keen observation skills and knowledge of Subaru, she'll definitely become suspicious. As for Seishiro, he is very good at noticing lies, being a master of them himself. Yeah, Kanaye must have been the only one who didn't notice Kiyoshi's oddity. But we can forgive him, right? Someone's gotta be the 'dumb' one. (sighs) Thanks for the lovely comments. I hate that I can't think of anything more interesting to say. (hugs)

**Subaru Sumeragi**--Poor Kiyoshi. Myeh. I want to hug him and at the same time I want to knock some sense into him. As for what's in Seishiro's head--we may never know. CLAMP is so evil that it makes it hard for us writers to worm our way inside! Bah! Anyway, he tends to shrug off things that require too much in-depth thinking sometimes, especially when it comes to feelings. Sorry that I almost made you last for class, but I'm delighted that you took the time to read this! I'm even more delighted that you took the time to review! (glomp)

**Shinzona**--Thanks for reviewing. Yours is a name I've been seeing a lot of on DeviantArt lately. (grins) I do hope life is treating you better (has read your heartbreaking journals). Thanks for reviewing chaps 5 and 6. I'm glad the storyline is interesting. I don't tease. (whistles innocently) Honest. Anyway, this chapter delivered on UST at least. Did you like it? (coughs) Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

**TrenchKamen**--Oh, my gosh! TrenchKamen? THE TrenchKamen! (promptly passes out, then gets back up after several long minutes) Thanks for the wonderful words. I don't know what to say/type, really.

**Dreamydreamer**--Um, you're welcome! (grin) Seishiro and Subaru are certainly my favorite pair of the moment as well. They're irresistible. T hanks for the chocolate, too! (promptly devours it, licking her fingers as she finishes) Hope you continue to enjoy the fic! (hugs)

**Sakurazuka-chan**--(glomps her nee-san) Hola! You went to Maui? Wow, I'm terribly jealous of you. (puppy eyes) It seems that you travel a lot more than I do. I tried to hug all of the X characters once. I am now missing an eye. I'm not saying a word about Mashiro and Kanaye (zips her lips). I'm going to go read one of your fics (the Lemon and Laundry one) as soon as I get done here. So many good fics are too high for AVARICE (pouts). Not fair at all. Thanks for reviewing, nee-san! (huggles one more time)

**Amy**--Wow, such a long review. (blinks a la Subaru-kun) Writing UST doesn't make me feel embarrassed until one of my sisters comes up behind me to point and laugh. (sighs) I'm glad you liked the interaction in 'Interaction'. Yeah, Mashiro can be a booger at social events, ne? I'm glad you enjoy this fic. That really makes my day. (smiles) As for the ending, yes I know how it will end. I also have the epilogue already written. Sad, ne? Anyway, I'm not telling you about it till we get there. (smile) The sakura tree is a very demonic and double-crossing tree it seems, since there is supposed to be only one Sakurazukamori. There's more to that particular story, of course. As for the sakanagi at the end of chapter six, it was strongly hinted in this chapter where it came from. (winks) Thanks for reviewing so enthusiastically!

**moongirlSelene99**--Well, Miss Sakurazuka Karui, I'm glad you took the time to write me a few words of encouragement. I truly appreciate it. I think the juxtaposition of the TB and X atmospheres make the mesh quite odd, just as you say. Thanks for reviewing!

**Hiruka-chan**--(sweatdrops) Thanks for that. I really don't know what I was thinking. Stupid Tanuki, you know what titter means. Maybe it's all the cutting and pasting around I do throughout the chapter when I write. (shrugs) Oh, well, it has since been fixed, though if it shows up is another matter altogether. Torn between screaming and crying, you can do both but you can also do them separately. (wink) Glad you took the time to read this and review it despite your HW load!

**Whitesakura**--Thanks for reviewing, but iffy is such an iffy word--it hardly conveys a message at all! If you would, please elaborate on the 'iffiness' to make your meaning clear. If I don't know what you're referring to, it's hard for me to fix. I plan to revamp the earlier chapters and fix all those annoying typos…eventually, anyway. Thanks for the compliments on characterization. I adore this fandom, so hopefully inspiration will keep flowing. (grin) Thanks for the kind review!

**Yume no Nozomu**--Thanks for the review, dear. Once again, I am overjoyed so many people are able to tolerate the OCs. Here's the promised update, though later than I would have liked. Time flies by so quickly, you know. Thanks again for taking the time to click on the little review dropdown box. I can't think of anything better say. Perhaps I'm worn out. Still, my appreciation is genuine.

**Subaru's Voice**--Can I update soon? Well, I just did update but it wasn't exactly soon. (dances in joy) Hopefully, you'll forgive me about that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry, this is such a short reply, but my inspirational, long-winded thank yous have left me wandering in a parched desert!

**Chibi-Kagome-456**--Wow, that's glowing praise that I don't deserve. Still, I'm quite happy that you enjoy the writing. I hope you continue to enjoy it in the near-and-distant future. I hope your nails survive your biting and I hope you liked this installment of Illusory Tandem. Thanks for reviewing!

Whew! Thanks for all of that, guys! You keep me going during tough times (like right now).

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: "Let's go out to eat, just you and me, Kiyoshi-san!" "Hokuto-chan…"_


	13. XII Appreciation

His eyes were poisoned, eating away at his soul from within.

She locked her heart around his; saying in the language of fluttering wings that she would protect him forever.

**Illusory Tandem**

Light filtered down through the tree branches, tickling the face of the sleeper gently. He blinked them open before sitting up abruptly and casting furtive glances at his surroundings. Breathing a sigh of relief, he got to his feet. His clothes were still soaked from the rain, and the mud was caked on his backside. He briefly meditated on the dream-material that had weaved into a spectacular nightmare. That was the reason he slept so little. Nightmares. There was no escaping them--no amount of reflection could erase them from his mind.

Kiyoshi made a face as he felt the mud slide down his back. Yes, he definitely needed a bath. On the way to his apartment he received many disgusted glances. A few of the women quickly ushered their children away. His lips thinned. Once he was inside his apartment complex, he made his way to the elevator. In the elevator, an elderly woman fretted over his appearance. She kept trying to smooth his unruly hair down, much to his annoyance. She remarked that he should take care of such a lovely face. The only thing Kiyoshi found lovely about himself was his right eye.

He was relieved when he finally made it inside the door of his living quarters. He pulled off his boots and nearly sprinted for the bathroom. He paused when he entered the room, temporarily frozen with the vision that appeared in the mirror. He had known he looked bad, but… He wasn't prepared for the gauntness of his reflection. He looked old and…haggard. The mud had matted his hair terribly in some places, while the rest of it stuck out at odd directions. His skin was pale, but something about it seemed transparent today. The veins and vessels gave stretched areas a bluish tint. His eyes were the worst part. Dark, purple circles inhabited the area around them. It seemed that his lack of rest was manifesting into physical symptoms.

Kiyoshi peeled off his sticky garments impatiently, secretly unnerved by how terrible he looked. As his clothes fell away, he noted that he had lost weight, too. Thin by nature, Kiyoshi now appeared sickly. His collarbone jutted out in a way that would make anyone who saw him wince. Ribs protruded violently and a concave stomach gave the impression he was half-starved. He knew he looked awful. Tearing his eyes away from the mirror, he drifted over to the shower door. Sliding it open, he stumbled inside. The shower that followed was nothing short of heavenly. The water cleansed the muck from his thin body and warmed his tired muscles.

After about twenty minutes, he exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He flopped onto the crisp-white bed and let out a miserable groan. His limbs longed for rest. Real rest, not the fretful sleep he managed to acquire every so often. But he had promised Kanaye he would stop by around lunchtime to tie up a few details about the next photo shoot. He had only done three so far, which were surprisingly not as bad as he had expected. Kanaye was all business when he came to taking photographs. He didn't require Kiyoshi to strike outrageously ridiculous poses or shamelessly sexual ones. The work he chose to convey was simply…classy. The photos turned out perfect most of the time. Even Kiyoshi could sense that Kanaye was brimming with talent.

He slid off the bed and shuffled to his closet. Already, he had a vast array of clothes. His variety came nowhere close to the collection Hokuto had kept for him when he was a teenager, but it was impressive nonetheless. He pulled out a blue shirt with long sleeves and a pair of gray slacks. He made sure to select loose-fitting articles so his rapidly shrinking frame wouldn't be as noticeable. If Kanaye saw how grotesquely emaciated he looked, the boy would go stark-raving mad.

He padded across the hallway to the bathroom. He glanced in the mirror as he ran a comb through his hair. Thank goodness the dark rings under his eyes had faded somewhat. They were now a sort of grayish-plum whereas before they had been a noticeable almost black-violet. He made sure to comb the longest portion of his bangs over his green left eye. Then, he stalked back to his room, pulled out a simple pair of shoes, and headed towards the front door. He slipped the shoes on and left, not bothering to lock up. A quick trip to the elevator and a quick punch of a button took him up one level, to the fourteenth floor where Kanaye's apartment was.

He walked to the sixth door and rapped his knuckles against the door. "Coming!" he heard Kanaye yell. Quick footsteps bounded to the door and then it was slung open. Kiyoshi was shocked to see that, instead of Kanaye answering the door, a familiar girl was standing there with a wide grin on her face.

"Kiyoshi-san!" she squealed, pulling him into the room in a display of hyper friendliness. She was wearing ballerina-slash-jester getup. Her hat tinkled with the bells that were attached to the ends.

Kiyoshi choked in surprise. "H-H-Hokuto-chan?"

"Ah! You remembered my name! Yay!" she said happily, clapping her hands together in delight. "Well, don't just stand there--come on in!"

Kiyoshi barely had time to yank off his shoes before he was being dragged into the living room. He dimly noted how strong Hokuto was; she was pulling his weight like it was nothing. She led him to a disaster area. There were pieces of cloth and half-finished bows and sketchpads and pincushions strewn all over the floor. There were five-foot high stacks of books and magazines placed randomly all over the tables, couches, and cushions. Kiyoshi peered hard behind one stack of magazines. There was Kanaye sitting Indian-style in the midst of the mess, with one of the books flipped open for reference and a sketchpad on his knee. He was chewing on the end of his pencil eraser. He looked up and grinned.

"Hey, Hamada-san!" he greeted, eyes sparkling in a way that bordered on creepy.

Kiyoshi nodded with a forced smile.

"Bet you're wondering what's going on," he chuckled, pushing the book back and stretching out his legs.

Kiyoshi glanced at the smiley Hokuto, wondering why she was here. He prayed Kanaye hadn't scouted her for modeling.

"Last night when I was going home, I ran into Kanaye-kun," Hokuto explained enthusiastically. "About the time I stopped to say hello, the sky totally opened up!"

"It was raining so hard we had to run for shelter. Luckily, we were right by here," Kanaye chimed in. "The storm was pretty bad and showed no signs of letting up, so I offered Hokuto-chan the guest room for the night."

Hokuto nodded. "Yep, yep. And this morning, we both woke up early and had a scrumptious breakfast specially prepared by me!"

"Then, we got to talking about fashion and decided to pull out all my resources and research of what kinds of styles would fit you best, Hamada-san!" Kanaye was bubbling over with excitement.

Hokuto tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Yep. We've spent the whole morning making new drawings and sewing new clothes exactly to your measurements!"

"With our combinations, we can't be beat!" Kanaye exclaimed, raffling through the pages of his sketchbook like a madman. "Some of this stuff we came up with is awesome, Hamada-san! We already sewed a few things we need for you to try on!"

Kiyoshi blanched. This was too much. With the two of them in the same room, he found that wanted to run far, far away. He unconsciously backpedaled.

Hokuto noticed his hesitation immediately. She latched on to his arm. "Oh, no you don't, mister. You're staying right here until you try on some of the clothes we made!"

"But--but Hokuto-chan…" The pouting words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. He belatedly realized that his whiny voice would come off rather strange given the situation. It was uncharacteristic for Kiyoshi to half-stammer a protest in a timid voice, but he couldn't help it. Hokuto's attitude toward him was making him feel like a kid again.

Hokuto's eyebrows rose at his feeble complaint. Kiyoshi had vaguely reminded her of her brother when he had said that. She stared at him for a long moment before resuming her previous activities. "Don't you 'Hokuto-chan' me. Take this," she thrust forward a neatly folded stack of clothing, "and go try it on for us."

Kiyoshi stared at the bundle in his hands as if it were some huge poisonous snake poised to strike at him. "O-okay," he said hesitantly, inwardly annoyed at his failure to keep a confident level of composure. He trotted to the bathroom, not daring to glance back at the strict eyes of his sister. He almost slammed the door shut when he entered the room; he was in such a hurry to escape. He let out a huge breath of air.

Hokuto. Hokuto-chan. He hadn't anticipated seeing her so unexpectedly. He hadn't had time to prepare himself for it. The experience had smacked him hard in the face, sending painful jolts straight to his heart. This was not a good situation, he told himself. Attempting to calm down, he ran cold water from the sink faucet and splashed it onto his face. He raised his head to view his reflection in the mirror. The mirror must have been new, he figured, for he had broken the old one. He wondered what Kanaye had thought about its disappearance. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the clothes Hokuto had insisted that he wear.

So much for classy fashion, he thought as he inspected the creation. The pants were made of leather. There was gold stitching at every seam and hand-stitched characters for words like 'love', 'hope', 'generation', and 'beauty' on the numerous pockets. The shirt was gold, with pinstripes of lighter yellow tones woven throughout. There were two breast pockets, which kept the theme of embroidered characters--only this time the stitching was done in black with the words 'win' and 'lose' on each pocket. The sleeves were rolled to a three-quarter length, revealing his skinny forearms. Stepping back to observe his reflection, he was momentarily surprised. The outfit wasn't bad. It may have been a bit calm considering Hokuto was involved in its design, but…it was nice. The best part was that it didn't fit as tightly as the clothes he was usually forced to wear. In fact, by his standards, it hung a bit loosely from his frame. He ran a hand though his red-streaked ebony hair and slowly made his way back to the living room.

He was greeted by a shriek of glee, and then Hokuto was hanging from his arm and dragging him into the living room. "Let's see you!" she was giggling. "Let's see you! Don't be shy!" The bells on her hat jingled with every step she took. She stepped back and swiveled her eyes up and down his form with an unreadable expression.

Kanaye's teeth were sparkling. He gave the thumbs-up and hopped from his seat energetically. "Wow! It looks great, Hamada-san!"

Hokuto frowned.

"Eh? What's wrong, Hokuto-chan?" Kanaye asked, blinking his blue eyes at her in confusion. "You don't like it, after all?"

Hokuto shook her head. Kiyoshi recognized the all-too familiar disapproval on her face. "The pants, Kanaye-kun. Weren't the measurements created to make them tight?"

Kanaye rubbed his head sheepishly. "Well, yeah. Now that you mention it, they are looser than we had designed." He zipped over to his notebook and rifled through the pages. "But I'm sure that my measurements are right. I took them a week ago."

Hokuto stalked over to where he was sitting and tore the pages from the notebook to inspect them.

"Hey!" Kanaye yelled in protest. "Hokuto-chan! That was my notebook!"

Hokuto tsked to herself. Grabbing a measuring tape before anyone could blink, she had flounced over to Kiyoshi and began wrapping it around various areas, starting with his waist. She was silent the entire time. After she was finished, she turned her face up to him. Kiyoshi noted how strange it was to have Hokuto looking up to him. In his youth, they had always remained face to face as they had been for the most part, the same height. A ripple ran through her features--a mixture of disappointment, sadness, and anger. Kiyoshi felt his heart thud painfully at the look. What had he done to upset her?

"You," she started, licking her lips in uncertainty. "You've lost weight, right?"

Kiyoshi's eyes widened. Whatever he had been expecting her to say, it certainly wasn't this.

"Admit it! You're being unhealthy, aren't you?" She broke eye contact to stare at the floor. "I should have known straight away after you didn't finish your yakizakana at our luncheon. You hardly touched it." Her eyebrows scrunched together in worry and hidden pain. "You can't treat yourself this way, Kiyoshi."

Kiyoshi wondered why she was so affected by his self-neglect. She didn't know he was in fact her brother, so why…? He was about to reassure her that he was taking care of himself, but his heart hesitated to lie to her. But why should he hesitate about such a thing? After all, he was concealing his true identity from her.

Kanaye stepped up to join Hokuto in scrutinizing the thin man. "You know what? You're right, Hokuto-chan. He has lost too much weight. I have to say that I disapprove of this as your agent, Hamada-san."

Hokuto poked at Kiyoshi's stomach unashamedly, dismaying at its spare mass. "If you approved, I might have to kill you, Kanaye-kun."

Kanaye laughed nervously. "Hamada-san," he said suddenly, eyes determined. "I know that you hear a lot about modeling, probably. But you're thin enough. In fact, right now you look too skinny. So if you're trying to lose weight for the job's sake, forget about it right now! Companies want healthy-looking people for their ads. Emaciated bodies are a major turn-off."

Kiyoshi glared, slightly annoyed and offended by the scolding. "I wasn't trying to lose weight," he murmured softly.

Kanaye's mouth dropped open a little. "Oh," he said simply. "Well…Hmm."

Hokuto still had a decidedly odd look on her face. It was one that made Kiyoshi distinctly uncomfortable.

There was a creaking as the front door swung open. The three paused their conversation to see who had arrived. Toeing off his tennis shoes at the threshold, Mashiro raised his head to stare back at them. He was wearing a pair of athletic pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. His hair was mussed but he didn't seem to care. He had a box tucked underneath his arm. He glanced first at Kanaye and Hokuto and then looked distastefully at Kiyoshi.

"Mashiro…" Kanaye greeted, a note of vacillation in his voice. "What are you doing h--?"

"I brought okonomiyaki," he said dully, walking in and settling himself onto the couch in front of the television. He kicked his legs up and took up all the available room before grabbing the remote.

Kanaye threw an apologetic look toward Hokuto and Kiyoshi before trotting over to stand beside where Mashiro was situated. "Okonomiyaki? Why?" he asked meekly.

Mashiro didn't even look at him as he surfed the television channels. "To eat, you dunce."

Kanaye's hair stood on end. "What did you call me!"

"I got you a seaweed okonomiyaki," Mashiro continued, ignoring Kanaye's outburst. "I knew you wouldn't want any other kind."

Kanaye's eyes shimmered, anger momentarily forgotten. "Eh? You actually remembered that?" He stared wonderingly at the older man. "Th-thank y--"

"How could I forget when you squealed about it every chance you got? If I didn't know your favorite okonomiyaki by now, you'd have to assume I'm a deaf man," Mashiro said rudely, finally settling on a station he liked.

Kanaye huffed. Just when he had been about to thank the jerk, too. He snarled as he heard Hokuto giggling behind him.

Mashiro looked away from the television to stare in Hokuto's direction. "Sorry, I didn't know you were going to be here. I only bought enough for Kanaye and me. If you want I can order take-out for you and that other guy beside you."

Kanaye scowled at Mashiro's reference to Kiyoshi as 'that other guy'. Really, how rude.

Hokuto laughed joyfully. "Oh, no! It's all right." She turned to Kiyoshi, smilingly. "Let's go out to eat, just you and me, Kiyoshi-san!"

"Hokuto-chan…" Kiyoshi breathed, taken aback by her offer. He looked into her sparkling green eyes, feeling his heart pump faster.

"Come on, it'll be fun! Hokuto-chan'll take you to her favorite eateries in all of Tokyo! And she'll make sure you eat well!" she insisted, tugging on his arm.

Kiyoshi still remembered most of her favorite restaurants, but he didn't tell her that. He sighed in defeat, not being able to tell the girl 'no'. He never had been good at refusing her. "All right."

Kanaye stared at them. "I want to go out to eat with you," he said suddenly.

In the background, Mashiro's eyes darkened. Hokuto noticed his reaction immediately. She rounded on Kanaye. "What are you talking about! You have scrumptious okonomiyaki to eat for lunch, not to mention it's seaweed and that's your favorite!" She shook her finger at him accusingly. "You're not going to turn down Mashiro-kun's sweet gift of love, are you!"

It took a moment for her implication to sink in. Mashiro looked furious and Kanaye was scarlet.

"Hey, hey!" Mashiro protested. "That's not how this is."

Hokuto squealed with laughter, grabbing Kiyoshi's arm and hustling him towards the door. "Suuuure," she cackled disbelievingly. "Enjoy your okonomiyaki of love! Sayonara! Ohohohohoho!"

With the slam of a door, Kiyoshi and Hokuto were off.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru moaned sleepily as he nuzzled deeper into the source of warmth. So nice, so comforting. He turned his face to burrow into the larger form beside him. So warm, so reassuring. He whimpered a protest as the figure pulled away from him to sit up. "Mmm," he groaned, clinging possessively to a muscular arm. "Uh-uh…" The form relaxed for a second to pry fastened fingers from a red nightshirt. Then, it was readying to slide out of bed. This time, Subaru was annoyed. Stubbornly, he wrapped his arms and legs around the body, pulling it back to him with surprising strength. With a thump, the warmth was on top of him. He sighed tenderly, anchoring his arms and legs tightly around the form. "Mmmm." So cozy, so calming.

Quiet laughter. Subaru was momentarily confused.

"Cute." Two strong arms snaked around him, capturing him in a crushing embrace. "So very, very cute." Seishiro shifted his body forward, pressing himself to Subaru's abdomen suggestively.

Subaru blinked sleepily, still not entirely certain of his surroundings. Sleep's claim on him was strong. He yawned widely and laid his head back on a pillow.

Seishiro watched him in awe. So delicate, so lovely. The small mouth was stretched open, pink lips glistening as air was taken in with one large gulp. His eyes traveled greedily up to the small nose and to the squinted-shut eyes. Cautiously, he reached his fingers forward. Yes, the fine rows of eyelashes were soft to the touch. They fluttered beneath his fingertips like the wings of a butterfly.

"Seishiro-san," Subaru muttered cutely, trying to turn his face away from Seishiro's ministrations. It seemed he still wasn't completely aware of the situation as his arms and legs were still locked vice-like around Seishiro's body.

A silly smile crossed Seishiro's face at the boy's reaction, and he suppressed a stupid-sounding giggle. He felt a little drunk although he was under no influence of alcohol. Subaru had that effect sometimes. Aesthetically speaking, the boy was a work of beauty. In addition to his fragile physique and pretty face, he had a glass soul that added to the experience. It was mildly addictive. Seishiro had to be careful not to overindulge himself. He pressed his cheek to the ruffled mess that was Subaru's hair. Moving casually, his body positioned itself in a most desirable way. Time to bring Subaru to the world of the living.

Subaru mewled softly, squirming underneath him, and Seishiro paused a moment to simple watch him. He smelled nice, Seishiro mused. The shampoo he had used the previous night must have been citrus-scented. Mixed with the smell that was unique to Subaru alone, it was intoxicatingly sweet. "Subaru-kun…" he murmured aloud, the name a deep sigh on his lips. If not for their true selves and their current occupations, and if Seishiro wasn't a heartless assassin playing out a dangerous bet on a boy who treated everyone special no matter who he was, Seishiro entertained that it felt like they were newfound lovers resting lazily in the aftermath of intense lovemaking. He wondered what Subaru would look like in the hazy afterglow of such an experience. "I like this…"

Subaru's eyes finally flew open, exposing the world to bright green irises. "Ah!" He looked wildly up at Seishiro, expression that of absolute shock. "S-Seishiro-san!" Oh Gods, his mind cried out in alarm. Had the warm form he had pulled close been Seishiro all along? What was he thinking, of course it was! It was a mental punch to the gut. He was such a foolish boy.

Seishiro smiled warmly, the sunrays lighting up the air around him and bathing him in light. "Shhh," he whispered, placing one hand on Subaru's waist. "Good morning." His voice was gentle, and that calmed Subaru down despite the predicament.

"G-Good morning," Subaru found himself saying back hesitantly.

"It's 10:00. Did you sleep well?" Another chipper smile.

Subaru wondered how the man could chat so commonly when he was lying atop him. His cheeks stained red when he remembered the previous night. How childish Seishiro must think he had been. He had had a nightmare and went running to the older man for comfort. In the end, they had both wound up asleep in Subaru's bed. It was embarrassing beyond belief.

"Subaru-kun?" The tone was concerned now due to the boy's silence.

"Oh!" Subaru exclaimed sheepishly. "Y-yes. I slept very well. Um, did you sleep well?"

Seishiro's bangs shadowed his eyes for a moment, and Subaru's heart froze for an unknown reason. The man glanced up after then, his eyes decidedly darker and more heated than before. "Yes," he said seriously, his hand squeezing Subaru's waist urgently. "I slept quite well, Subaru-kun. You kept me very," here he leaned further into Subaru, "warm."

Seishiro hesitated before moving their bodies experimentally close together, rocking them back and forth against one another. Back and forth, back and forth. Rocking, rocking, rocking. Subaru gasped aloud at the unexpected…was it intimacy? If Subaru had been a firework, he would have long-since exploded. On second thought, he might have been a dud--his shortcomings preventing his escape from the matter at hand. Seishiro groaned out loud and Subaru blinked as heat spread to every corner of his body. Seishiro was…he was…

He stared up at the usually elegant face that was skewed into animalistic focus. The golden eyes were half-lidded, but they burned into him all the same. Seishiro was just so beautiful. The thoughts fled as an unrecognizable feeling seized his body and he let out a faint moan.

Seishiro purred then, the sound resonating from deep within his throat. His lips came very close to Subaru's ear. "I like this too much, Subaru-kun."

Subaru couldn't reply to that. When he tried, his words ran together in one long, desperate yowl.

Seishiro was taken aback by the noise. Subaru had a strong voice when he chose to use it, though at the moment he wasn't exactly choosing. "Subaru-kun," he rasped, grinding himself closer. It felt nice, but he felt the need to get closer still. "Subaru…kun…" He was losing control fast, and this deeply grated on his nerves. Damn. It was purely sexual, he reasoned. Purely. There was no reason for concern. This was physical attraction, nothing more.

Seishiro struggled to keep a hold on his sexual energy as Subaru's back arched up, bringing his lithe, writhing body up to meet his. Seishiro took the rare opportunity to slam his hips down on the boy, crushing them together before he continued his rhythmic motions.

Subaru cried out louder this time, biting down hard on his lip in a vain attempt to keep quiet. Again, Seishiro found himself wondering what would happen if they deepened the game. He found himself visualizing how Subaru's face would look as he pounded into him over and over. He found himself imagining the strain in Subaru's voice as he would call out his name in wild abandon.

Subaru's eyes rolled back into his head. "Sei…"

Seishiro listened hungrily. Here it was already, Subaru calling out his name (and his name only) in impassioned surrender.

"Seishir--" The sound cut off as Subaru fell back limply. His limbs lost their strength and their wonderful hold around him loosened.

Seishiro was breathing heavily. "Subaru-kun?" he called, still vaguely rocking them together. The boy didn't answer. "Subaru-kun!" He leaned over him, memories of bleeding eyes and mysterious sakanagis plaguing his thoughts. He shook him harshly, too harshly. Still, the boy didn't move. He inspected him closely and came to the conclusion that he had fainted. Seishiro let out a huge frustrated breath. He was still moving himself against Subaru in answer to the throbbing insistency of his by-now very aroused body. "Agh…Subaru-kun!" he whined pitifully. "How can you do this to me?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi was awkward as he walked alongside Hokuto in the streets of Tokyo. The feelings that attacked him were both strange and familiar. He had walked with Hokuto like this in his long-ago distant childhood. She was flouncing, every motion accentuated by her jester-bell hat. "We're going to eat at English Muffin next," she exclaimed in a bubbly voice. "It's one of the best bakeries around. Sei-chan showed it to me. I'm sure you'll like it because even my little brother likes it and he doesn't eat a lot."

It was odd to hear Hokuto speak about his younger self. He vaguely recalled English Muffin. Seishiro had taken him there on one of their many dates. But in 1999, ravenous earthquakes had destroyed the bakery. It was a haunting experience to be walking through the very streets he had watched crumble in his time. Painfully, he recalled that it had been Seishiro himself who had downed much of Tokyo's infrastructure.

"Kiyoshi-san?"

"Mm?" Kiyoshi snapped his head around to look into Hokuto's concerned gaze.

She huffed. "You're so spacey! You need to pay attention more. If I wasn't walking beside you, you'd bump into something for sure!"

"Sorry, Hokuto-san," he intoned politely, trying his best to sound formal.

"I told you to call me Hokuto-_chan_. Hokuto-san sounds so stuffy! Bleh. Anyway, did you enjoy the Korean Sun? The food was delicious!" She looped her arm through his happily.

Kiyoshi smiled. "Yes, the food was very good. But I'm looking forward to English Muffin, myself. It sounds even better." It was hard forcing himself to act naturally. He was normally inclined to act awkwardly around others, even if Hokuto was his sister.

"If you think you don't have room for dessert, you'll definitely change your mind once we get there," she laughed. "If I went there everyday, I'd gain at least fifty pounds because the food is so delicious!"

Kiyoshi smiled weakly. "Ah…"

"You probably should go there everyday, come to think of it. You could use about fifty pounds on that poor bod of yours," she sighed, her face screwing itself into one of worry. "I'm sorry to pry. Really, I am. I know you probably think it's weird, and to tell the truth it probably is." Her arm squeezed his painfully as she turned to look up at him. "But I can't help but fuss over you!"

Kiyoshi sucked in a sharp breath. He blinked in confusion. His dear sister. She was so kind to worry about others. She always had been motherly when it came to taking care of people. Her bright gaze made him want to turn away from her. He was ashamed to be in her loving presence. The sunshine that was in her face painfully exposed the darkness that he had become. If she knew his secrets, if she knew the shame that was his existence, she would surely turn away in disgust.

"Yeah, I know you're a grown man and you can probably take care of yourself," she murmured, staring ahead into the distance. Kiyoshi wondered if she was actually embarrassed. "But, but…that's just the way I am."

Kiyoshi stared at her for long, cautious moments. His Wish ran rampant in his mind, teetering on the edge of despair and change. What was it that he really wanted? Hokuto was here. She was alive. She reserved her worry even for supposed-strangers. She was a beautiful person that shouldn't have to die. Could he possibly save her? Should he even try to go against the workings of fate? "Hokuto--"

"Let's not worry about that now!" she suddenly shouted, energy returning ten-fold. "Around the next block is our destination so we're almost there! For now, I need to start telling you about all the best sweets!"

Kiyoshi started as they walked past the opening to a dark alleyway. His ear twitched as the echoing sounds of a scuffle carried across the distance. For a reason unknown, he suddenly felt a deeply buried urge swell within his chest. "Help!" cried a young voice weakly. "Help!" Kiyoshi broke away from Hokuto and leapt.

Hokuto gasped as the man tore away, bounding like something inhuman. "Kiyoshi!" she called, sprinting after him. "Where are you going?"

Kiyoshi came upon a party of five men gathered around someone small and shivering. One was busy pushing his body against the smaller victim, whose arms were held above his head in a violent grip. "No!" the victim was pleading hoarsely. "Please, let me go!"

"I can't let you go, pretty thing," the large thug leered. "You're going to bring us quite a bit of money…not to mention a good time when we spread your legs." He trailed a hand down one thigh, inching inward as he went.

Something in Kiyoshi snapped. One part of his mind was screaming that he shouldn't care--that he was no longer the Subaru that envisioned saving the world. The other part was enraged, almost murderous that such a thing was happening in the Tokyo he both loved and hated. There were no warnings and no introductions. He attacked the five of them before they could blink. He was about to plunge his hand through a broad chest when he heard Hokuto's footsteps. The bells from her hat sounded closer and closer, and he realized that simple murder was out of the question. Spells or anything that related to being an onmyouji were as well.

Hokuto's eyes widened as Kiyoshi delivered a well-placed roundhouse kick to the back of one man's neck. He fought as if he had been professionally trained. The style was similar in form to the style she and her brother had learned in the Sumeragi household. He moved like dangerous liquid from man to man. Impossible, she mouthed. Who was this guy? She was snapped from her thoughts by the advance of one of the men. Quickly, she ducked as he came at her. Using his momentum to her advantage, she kicked him as he fell past, smashing him coldly into the uncaring ground. With a quick chop to the back of his neck, he was rendered unconscious.

She spied a shivering form in the shadows on the ground. Rushing forward, she wrapped her arms around the bleeding child. "I'll protect you," she said hurriedly, moving herself in front of him roughly. She flipped out her lipstick and drew a quick design on the ground--one of the only spells she knew. The kekkai was raised just in time as a burly man slammed into the protective shield.

Kiyoshi felt his control slip as the last remaining thug attacked Hokuto. Something within him shifted and cried out for blood. This was the darkness he could not show in front of his sister. This was the darkness his tortuous life had given him. With a crack, he punched the man in the head, knuckles brushing a well-known pressure point. With a thump, the man fell to the ground unconscious.

After the dust settled, Kiyoshi was the only one left standing. He was breathing more heavily than normal, but other than that he had not suffered a single scratch. Even the fashionable clothes that Hokuto and Kanaye had insisted he wear were not harmed. But he was tired. Having not been able to use his powers, he had relied completely on physical strength. With his loss of both sleep and weight, he wasn't in his best condition. He turned to a wide-eyed Hokuto.

She stared at him in disbelief. For a moment, Kiyoshi thought she was going to question his unusual fighting abilities, but she remained silent. She shifted her gaze to the one she had her arms around. He was peeking at Kiyoshi incredulously.

"Wow," he whispered.

Hokuto got to her feet and brushed the dirt from her clothes. Then, she extended a hand to the figure below. "Are you okay?" she asked anxiously.

The young boy took her hand graciously and rose to his full height; he was only slightly shorter than Hokuto. He wore an oversized, purple t-shirt (which had several tears in it) and long, denim shorts. There was a yellow cap twisted backwards on his head.

"I'm fine now," he breathed excitedly. "Who are you?"

Hokuto grinned, displaying a thumbs-up enthusiastically. "I'm Hokuto. Let's get out of here into the light, okay?" Gripping his arm tightly, she pulled him toward the street.

Kiyoshi nodded silently as he led the way out of the darkness. He squinted when he finally came into the brightness of the day again. Turning around, he viewed Hokuto looking more chipper than ever in her jester's outfit. Beside her, the kid was staring up at him in wonder. Great, his mind supplied in annoyance. Hero worship. The boy had short, brown wavy hair and huge navy-colored eyes. It was strange. Right away, something about his appearance reminded Kiyoshi of Kanaye. But the thought flitted away as soon as the boy spoke.

"I'm Ryuzo. Thank you for helping me, Hokuto and…?" He stared up at Kiyoshi expectantly.

"Hamada Kiyoshi," Kiyoshi supplied, inwardly itching for a cigarette.

The boy gasped. "I recognize you!" he shouted, pointing excitedly. "I saw you in the preview book for Yoshioka Modeling!"

Kiyoshi groaned, Hokuto giggled.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kanaye growled as Mashiro swung his legs up to rest in his lap. "Mashiro!" he protested loudly, glaring at the ankles resting on his thigh. "It took me ten minutes to get you to make room on _my _couch and now you're taking up too much space again, only now I'm sitting here! Your legs are on me,"

"I know," Mashiro quipped briskly, resuming his all-time favorite hobby of flipping channels faster than Kanaye could blink.

Kanaye was silent for a moment, then he blew out a long breath of air. "How can you even see what's on the channels that way? You turn them so fast you can't tell what's on TV, much less if it's anything good."

With the press of a button, Mashiro turned the television off to focus his dark eyes on Kanaye. "I can follow it. My eyes are trained. Have you forgotten that?"

Kanaye frowned, absently picking at the lint that had gathered on the leggings of Mashiro's pants. "No," he replied quietly. "I haven't forgotten."

Mashiro pulled his legs out of Kanaye's lap, righting his feet back on the floor. He scooted closer to Kanaye, taking in his wide blue eyes and frazzled blond hair that fell in waves from a messy ponytail. "Do you trust me?" he asked suddenly, voice deep.

Kanaye gulped and unconsciously leaned backward.

"I know you didn't after what happened in school," he continued, turning his face to stare at Kanaye's sock-feet on the carpet. "I was eighteen and immature and stupid and arrogant, so I let it go on for too long and you wound up getting hurt."

"Mashiro--"

"You had your dad fire me. I thought I'd be okay. After all, it was my fault. The next thing I knew, you had dropped out of school. I couldn't find you anywhere. I heard your mother had died and you had run away." Mashiro paused for a moment, his eyes darkening. "I found you working in broken-down shop weeks later. You said you wanted to live on your own, without your father's help. So I made my decision. Even though I wasn't your paid bodyguard anymore, even though you hated me, I was going to protect you."

Kanaye stared sullenly at his feet, Mashiro's words unlocking memories he would rather forget.

"Even so, do you trust me?" Mashiro implored, leaning forward. He brought a large hand up to brush Kanaye's wavy bangs away from his forehead. Kanaye jerked away as if he'd been burned by the touch.

"Mashiro," he whispered uncertainly. "Can I trust you?"

"It's a simple yes-or-no question," Mashiro huffed, secretly offended that it wasn't easy for the boy to answer. "It's up to you who you trust." He crossed his arms grumpily.

Kanaye growled. "Don't be such a jerk, jerk! I trust you, okay?"

Mashiro glared at the boy. "And you damn well should, you know. Now I want you to listen to me. It's about Hamad--"

'BANG.

"Yoo-hoo! Guess who's back?" an impossibly loud voice trilled in a singsong voice. "It's Hokuto-chan, and she brought sweets from English Muffin for everyone!" Jingling bells announced that Hokuto was bouncing toward them from the doorway.

Kanaye jumped to his feet, wanting to put as much distance between himself and Mashiro as possible.

"Oooo," Hokuto giggled. "You guys were getting all nice and cozy on the love couch, were you?"

"Love couch," Mashiro repeated dumbly. "That's the stupidest term I've ever heard."

"Now, now, Mashiro-kun," Hokuto laughed. "Don't be an ass, or I won't let you have any of the dumplings I've brought!"

Kanaye rushed to relieve her of the many boxes she was balancing. "How many sweets did you buy?"

"Well, plenty! I had to have enough for you, Mashiro-kun, Kiyoshi, Ryuzo-chan, oh! And Subaru and Sei-chan, of course!" she explained. "You don't mind if I put Subaru and Sei-chan's stuff in the fridge, do you?"

Kanaye didn't answer. His face had gone white and he was staring at the entrance as if someone were holding a gun to his head. It took Hokuto a few moments to realize he was staring at the boy she and Kiyoshi had rescued.

"Oh! Don't worry about him; he's harmless," she laughed. "We saved him from some thugs on an alleyway and he's been tagging along since. His name's--"

"Ryuzo," Kanaye finished disbelievingly.

It was about this time that Ryuzo stopped staring up at Kiyoshi to look at Kanaye. His reaction was quite different. Instead of looking freaked out, his face split into a wide grin. "Kanaye!" he shouted, rushing towards him as if someone had strapped rockets to his feet.

Hokuto blinked as Ryuzo latched on to Kanaye in a bone-crushing hug. "You guys know each other?" she asked, mouth gaping open.

Kanaye was fidgeting as he attempted to get the boy off of him. "Mashiro, help me!" he demanded.

"Nope," Mashiro muttered, once again flipping through channels nonstop.

Kiyoshi padded across the room and came to a stop in front of Kanaye and Ryuzo. Now that they were next to each other, he realized, they favored quite a lot. "Are you related?" he asked softly, curiosity getting the better of him.

Ryuzo 'mmed' as he nuzzled into Kanaye neck. Kanaye bristled. "Yes, didn't he tell you his full name? It's Yoshido Ryuzo. Our fathers are brothers."

"Kanayeeee, I haven't seen you in sooo long!" Ryuzo was saying mushily. "The last time I saw you I was nine years old!"

"Yeah, five years ago, you freak," Kanaye grunted, attempting to pull the human leech off his body. "Now, get off me!"

Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Mashiro had risen from the couch and was making his way over to them. He gripped the back of Ryuzo's shirt and wrenched him from Kanaye. "I remember this squirt," he said dully. "He was always following you around like a sick puppy."

Ryuzo's eyes widened as he looked up at Mashiro. "Wooow!" he gasped. "You're strong."

"Kuroki Mashiro," Mashiro intoned shortly. "Not really pleased to meet you." He set Ryuzo on the ground roughly. "You take after your mother," he said, inspecting the boy carefully. "You both do." He gestured towards Kanaye.

Hokuto squealed. "How cute! But if they both take after their mothers, why do they resemble each other so much? After all, it's their fathers who are brothers."

"Their mothers are sisters as well. Those ladies married a set of wealthy brothers. What can I say?" Mashiro stared uneasily at Kanaye, whose face had screwed itself into an expression of pain.

Ryuzo chortled. "I just favor my mom, but Kanaye looks _exactly_ like his mother!"

Kanaye winced.

"People were always mistaking him for a girl, he looks so much like her. I bet even his own dad gets them confused!" Ryuzo sung.

Hokuto laughed along with him. "That's so cute!" she giggled.

Kanaye snapped. "Shut up!" he barked, bringing the noise to an abrupt halt. "Excuse me," he said shakily. Without another word he strode towards his room and slammed the door shut behind him.

Mashiro stared after him with a strange expression carved into his face. "That's a dismissal, I think," he said lowly.

Hokuto's green eyes were wide. "Oh, my gosh. I've never seen him like that. Did we hurt his feelings?"

Ryuzo sighed. "I guess he still can't cope with his mother's passing, huh?"

Kiyoshi stared at the boy in surprise, his golden eye narrowing. "His mother's passing?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Ryuzo said. "Our mothers both died five years ago…in a plane crash."

Mashiro rested a hand on Ryuzo's head. "Let's leave him for now. Once he locks himself in there, it's hours before he comes out, no matter who you are."

As if on cue to prove Mashiro wrong, Kanaye stuck he head out of his bedroom door. "I'm really sorry about all this, Hamada-san," he called, directing tearful eyes at Kiyoshi. "I'll call you tomorrow!" Then, he was gone again.

A vein rose on Mashiro's forehead and he glared jealously at Kiyoshi. "As I was saying," he said tensely. "I think he wants us all to leave."

Hokuto huffed and disappeared for a second. A few moments later, she returned. "I put some of the goodies in his refrigerator for him to eat later. The rest of you, here," she passed out dumplings quickly. "Enjoy."

"Thank you, Hokuto-chan," Kiyoshi said quietly, giving her a small, warm smile.

Ryuzo stuffed the food into his mouth like he hadn't eaten for weeks.

"I'm taking you back home, kid," Mashiro said, gripping the back of Ryuzo's shirt. "You used to run away all the time when you were little, and I guess you haven't outgrown that little habit."

"Huh?" Ryuzo's blue eyes finally widened in recognition. "Wait a minute! Now I remember you! You were Kanaye's bodyguard! Nooo! You're a meanie!"

Mashiro growled. "You're fourteen now, aren't you? You need to grow up." He dragged the kid to the door, slipped into his shoes, and put his hand on the door. Half turning, he waved half-heartedly to Hokuto and glared at Kiyoshi. Then, he and Ryuzo were gone.

"Well," Kiyoshi said after a brief silence. "I suppose I'll be going."

"Where do you live?" Hokuto asked suddenly, impulsively.

"Eh? I live on the floor below here, actually," he replied, throwing her a confused look. "Why?"

"Just making sure you don't have to walk far," Hokuto said sheepishly, shifting an English Muffin takeout box in her arms. "Can I walk you there?"

Kiyoshi's eyes softened, his visible one glowing soft amber. "That'd be nice."

Together, they stepped out the door. Kiyoshi was quiet, listening to Hokuto babble as they rode the elevator down. He wasn't paying as much attention to what she was actually saying as he was listening to the sound of her beloved voice. They arrived at the thirteenth floor all too soon. To his surprise, she followed him to his apartment number.

She giggled at the number. "I can't believe you live in the thirteenth room on the thirteenth floor! That's pretty rich!"

Kiyoshi allowed himself a small laugh as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. Turning around, he faced Hokuto once again. "Well, Hokuto-chan," he said, leaning against the doorframe. "I had a very nice time, today." The formality in his voice was killing him.

"Me, too!" she exclaimed. "And you ate plenty of food, I was proud of you! I told you I knew the best restaurants in Tokyo!"

He stared down at her. All he wanted to do was throw his arms around her and tell her how much he loved her. Yet here he was, pretending to be a stranger. What was he doing, he idly wondered. What was he doing? His beloved sister was right in front of him and all he could manage was a fake smile and stilted conversation. I'm a stupid man, he told himself silently. Such a stupid man.

"Well, I'll be seeing you," he said finally, closing the door. He watched as the door moving across his vision hid her image. Her face was anxious and her mouth was open as if she were about to say something. He knew she had wanted for him to invite her in. He knew. Yet he could not. Finally, he couldn't see her anymore. The door separated them completely. He rested his forehead against the cool surface and breathed a deep breath. Two twins separated by time and circumstance.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru yawned as he sat up in bed. How long had he slept? He vaguely recalled the previous night, one where he had cried out his horrible nightmare to a patient Seishiro. He glanced at the clock. 12:30 P.M. He gasped. He had slept for a long time--past noon even. Blushing, he remembered how Seishiro had carried him to his bed after he had spilled his violent emotions. That was probably what had caused the…the second dream.

He placed gloved hands on his feverish cheeks. The second dream had been nothing short of sinful. He had dreamt that he had awoken, earlier this time--around 6:45--and had pulled Seishiro down on top of him. And after that, Seishiro had…well, he had…moved against him in a way that was most definitely not proper for Subaru to be dreaming about. Subaru sighed and crawled out of bed, slipping his feet into his penguin slippers. Where was Seishiro? He wondered if the man had gone home already.

Stretching, he padded towards the kitchen. He was tired from his job the previous day. Not to mention, his bizarre nightmare had left him emotionally drained. He spied a small note lying on the counter. Curious, he picked it up. Scrawled in Seishiro's perfect handwriting was a small note.

_Subaru-kun,_

_Had to get to work.  
__Sorry to leave, but you were such an angel sleeping that I couldn't wake you.  
__It was all I could do not to steal a kiss from you.  
__Eat well and come by the clinic later if you can. _

_Love,  
__Seishiro-san_

Subaru wrinkled his nose in silent laughter. He had signed it 'Seishiro-_san_', which struck him as funny for some odd reason. He blushed as he reread the letter. Some part of his mind told him that if anyone else read it, they would get the wrong idea about the two of them. His cheeks pinked. Oh, no. Why was he thinking of such a thing? First, the perverted dream and now this. What was happening to him? Glancing around timidly, he stuffed the note in the pocket of his nightshirt. He really ought to rip it into tiny unreadable pieces, or at the very least throw it away. But he just couldn't bring himself to do it. His thoughts were interrupted as his front door was thrown open. For a second, his heart jumped to his throat. He thought it might've been Seishiro, but the obnoxious voice of his sister erased that suspicion immediately.

"Subaru!" she shouted, running in energetically. The bells on her strange jester-hat jingled. She eyed him up and down with a weird look. "Did you just wake up?"

Subaru blushed. "Um, yes," he said quietly, wringing his hands together.

She caught him in a fierce hug. "I was worried. I didn't get to come home last night because of the storm--I had to stay at a friend's."

Subaru decided not to tell her that he wasn't aware that she had not come home. "I was worried, too," he said, returning her hug shyly.

"How'd the job go?" she asked energetically.

"Fine," he replied curtly.

Hokuto grinned. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No," he whispered.

"Perfect!" she shouted, spinning away from him and turning on the oven. "I'll whip you up some of my home cooking, and after that we can eat the sweets I bought from English Muffin together!"

"Okay, Hokuto-chan," he laughed. His sister sure was hyper all the time, he mused.

"Oh, and Subaru?" she said, coming over to loop her arms around him once more. "I love you."

Subaru's green eyes widened, filling with emotion. "Hokuto-chan," he breathed, surprised by her sudden seriousness. "I-I love you, too," he said quietly.

Hokuto stared determinedly into his eyes. She placed a hand on his baby-soft cheek and leaned their foreheads together. Twins, that's what they were. Nothing could break them apart. She wouldn't let anything break them apart. "Subaru, I'm going to protect you forever," she whispered before pressing her lips to his cheek.

Then, she broke away to resume her cooking duties.

Subaru watched her with a fond smile. Yes, she was hyper and yes, others sometimes called her a basket case, but…he wouldn't trade her for the world.

_Not for the world._

END CHAPTER TWELVE.

* * *

_Theme Song for This Chapter:  
__Adrift and at Peace (instrumental) by Nine Inch Nails

* * *

_

Some of you don't know where the story is going, but I do. Mwahaha. (You're all going to hate me when this is over, I know it.) And, as my sister Berserker knows, I created Ryuzo for that one detail that I'm going to write about later, and that one detail only. I needed someone school age (other than Hokuto and Subaru) for it, okay? Strange that I created someone for something so insignificant and small, isn't it? But that's my way. This chapter moved a little. Huzzah. (So did Seishiro.) This chapter feels strange, but every chapter does after I finish writing it, I think. It takes me a while to settle, so to speak. I really want to show, with this chapter, that the younger Subaru kind of takes Hokuto for granted. I don't know if the message got through, but there you have it. (sappy smile)

Thank you all for the overwhelming support you have shown this fanfic. I dearly appreciate each and every one of you for your endearing patience with a silly girl like me. I will try to continue telling my story in a way that holds your interest.

**Hellcat81**--Thanks. Sorry you missed Kiyoshi last chapter, but he was prevalent in this chapter (I think) so maybe I've made up for it. Sorry about the wait. As for the story having a darker touch…that's good. I want to encompass many feelings. Don't know if I'll accomplish the goal I have in mind, but I'll definitely try. Thanks for reviewing.

**Ghost Whisper**--I'm very glad you like 'nowhere'. I like nowhere too, but I am deathly afraid of it. I am ecstatic that you enjoyed SS interaction in the apartment, though I doubt it's 'pure genius' as you say. Perhaps 'pure fangirl' would be a better way to put it. (laughs) If Subaru listened to his instincts, there would have been no 'Tokyo Babylon', right? Denial seems to be a common theme in TB. Thanks so much for the compliments on the writing style. But I bet you are an awesome reader with a vivid imagination, and that I believe accounts for part of your experience. You are able to interpret it in a unique way I'm sure. Thanks for the long comment! I feel special.

**Sakurazuka-chan**--Don't worry, I'm too lazy to log in half the time, too. I most definitely understand that feeling. Glad you liked the S/S interaction last chapter, and I really hope I didn't go overboard in this one. (sweats) I added _Raspberries _to my archive. I was so happy to have one of yours in there with a low enough rating! (secretly wonders if she might need to raise her own rating for _Illusory Tandem _after this.)

**Soulreceiver**--Breathtaking? (starts performing CPR) Must give air back. (I'm not funny.) Anyway, I am overjoyed you liked last chapter. And yes, older Subaru's sakanagi rebounded on the younger Subaru. And as for Seishiro, his idiocy regarding the bet is quite a tragedy all on its own. But how can someone who's never felt anything expect to recognize it? I mean, even normal people have a hard time realizing their love. (ranting) Anyway, I'll stop babbling. Thanks for the review!

**moongirlSelene99**--Yes, you know where the sakanagis are going. Sleuth. (laughs) Karui-chan, I'm happy you like the dreams bit. Things are only bound to get weirder involving such things as we go on, but I don't want to spoil anything. Thanks for your continued support! (hugs)

**bitter green tea**--Thanks for paying attention and staying with me. Yes, last chapter I'm afraid that Kiyoshi took the back seat. However, in this chapter we got to see more of him. Let me say that I'm very glad that you told me your honest opinion. I value it highly and you keep me on my toes. As for the plot of this fic, the title plays a major role in it. I'm deathly afraid of when we reach the end, because I know that not many people are going to like it. Perhaps I'm prolonging the inevitable. Things will kick in to high gear again soon (I hope) and by that time, I hope that some of the characterizing I did in earlier (and slower) chapters will pay off in making the events more meaningful. I won't neglect Kiyoshi in the long run. The story is his, more or less. I can only ask that you forgive this poor author's oddity and stay with me. And I hope the plot becomes more graspable as we go. Thanks for the review, I value you more than you will ever know.

**Inverse-chan**--You haven't? Well, that's quite all right by me. And nothing's wrong with you. I'm not a stickler for that kind of thing. I'm quite possibly the worst reviewer in history so everyone looks wonderful compared to me. (giggles) I'm glad that you enjoy this story. I'm sorry that I make everyone so 'twisted', as you say. And when you think of the right word to describe Kiyoshi, tell me. I just might be able to use it. Thanks for dropping me a line, it means a lot to me! (waves)

**Stephanie B.**--Wow, a new reader? That's great! It's nice to know that people are still coming along. That makes me happy. I'm flattered that you would take the time to email this to your friends, and I hope that they enjoyed it. I'm such a pervert, because I would pay good money for a picture of Seishiro in a wet shirt. (drools) Anyway, it seems that many readers want to both hug and knock some sense into our little Subaru. It's pretty funny that it's such a common thread between us all. Again, thanks for commenting and thanks for your support!

**AutumnRayne27**--Gah! Everybody's apologizing for not reviewing! Don't apologize! It's no big deal! I'm just overly pleased that you were even reading it! Yeah, I changed the plot quite a bit, but I hope it's all right. I'm loony, I tell you. Loony. The sexual tension is my fault completely. Because I'm more perverted than is allowed in CLAMP-world. Still, I'm glad you seem to be okay with everything. Thanks for reading and thanks for reviewing!

**Hiruka-chan**--I emailed you about that "shrunken" thing and I felt terrible about it. I thought that maybe I came off a little bitchy and that's not how I am at all. I'm really grateful that you pay so close attention. In the end, shrunk/shrunken is interchangeable in that situation, ne? You're such a good person, and you're very intelligent to boot. I love having readers like you--it makes me feel all squishy inside. (is overcome with mushy love) Sorry if I came off the wrong way. (cries) Anyway, on to your review. I'm so glad you point out all that nice English stuff, because I don't realize what I'm doing when I write it. (smiles) And you can draw Seishiro as an ice cream cone if you want, though it might be a little scary. (sweats) Anyway, I'm having a hard time finding the words to describe how thankful I am to you. You're a reviewer that's been reviewing such a long time, and I feel like such a poop trying to express what I feel in words. Thank you is all I can say.

**J.J. Blue**--Wow. I'm always so speechless in the face of your reviews. (blushes uncontrollably) Let me just say that you are one of the neatest people I have ever met. And that doujinshi you made had me rolling around in laughter. I cherish it. I'm glad you like the little details like glasses. And yes, Seishiro never really gets across that line into emotion, does her? He remains that rational watcher. (Though he acts a bit impulsively this chapter) Seishiro's philosophy about the rain was something I put in to remind us that he's not entirely as sweet as he seems. My love of thunderstorms reared its head. I adore storms. I turn off all the lights and watch and listen, usually. Poor Kiyoshi, yes. Poor, poor Kiyoshi. His dream was born from a desire to show why he acts the way he does. (sighs) I'm so bad to torment him so. He does wish for Seishiro to find him, no matter what he says. Ah, so you noticed that bit about Subaru checking on Seishiro parallels what I did in the hospital! Yay! I'm so glad you noticed that. Truly. As for Sei-chan and ice cream…it's like it's his motif or something. (giggles) Originally I had planned to make the dream audible to young Subaru, but that would have confused the hell out of him so I didn't. I rather like how it ended up. It became more vague and incomprehensible as you said. Glad the traumatized Subaru came off well. I was actually thinking of X's Kotori when I wrote that. She starts referring to everyone (even herself) in third person in the English translation and it hit me as lovely somehow. I find strange dialogues lovely, don't I? Anyway, I can't thank you enough for the review and I can't do you any justice (as usual) with my lame reply. But I want you to know that'd I'd get down on my knees and kiss your feet if I could!

**Yume wo Nozomu**--Hahaha. Well, maybe I put a little too much Kanaye in this chapter, so you may be ready to be rid of him for a while. I'm glad at least someone had the decency to miss him! (Though it is a little odd since he's a good-for-nothing OC.) Okay, so it secretly makes me really happy. Glad the S/S came off lovely. And yes, decaying bodies are scary. Because if you pop the skin, the odors really stink. (shivers) Anyway, here's the promised update. Hope you like.

**Fin Mefiant**--(stares at the nice review in shock) What can I say? I feel inept at writing an equivalent thank you. Thank you for not nitpicking. I really am not stupid, I try to tell people. My brain just scans over typos. I don't have any betas, actually. Besides my sister who, as you can see, is horrible at it. I'm glad you like my TB atmosphere. I'm glad you like the OCs, too. (smiles sheepishly) I hope my Seishiro remains on your good side. He's a strange character to write. You like sexual tension, huh? Me, too. I've read so much smut where they get on with their business like robotic androids and I wonder, Are they even turned on by each other? I'm glad you like my writing style. At times, I worry that I might be too long-winded or perhaps not long enough. So your words are especially reassuring to me. I wish I could better express myself. (I feel redundant with all the thank yous.) But I really want you to know that your review made me feel especially special. Your words are very eloquent and highly appreciated!

**Subaru Sumeragi**--Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your words are heartbreakingly beautiful. (grins) I think Subaru and Kiyoshi have a very unique connection. They're the same and at the same time they're not the same at all. It makes for an interesting experience as an author. Glad you found Kiyoshi's transformation during the dream to be interesting. (I'm flattered that you would reread that part, too!) Thanks for the heads-up on the files. I'm glad you said something or I would never have known! Thank you for everything!

**Catastrophe**--(blinks slowly) Wow, you're so nice to say such things. Is this really your favorite fic right now? That makes me feel…extremely happy and at the same time embarrassed! (and it makes me feel pressured if you want to know the divine truth) I'm glad you like my imagery. I have a soft spot for it. As for my characterization, thanks for the lovely compliments. Especially regarding Hokuto-chan. It makes me feel like floating away into the sky. I can't tell you about Kiyoshi's Wish, silly. That's off limits. But you're not far off in saying that he's a little insecure about what he really wants. I'm happy that you like my OCs, too. I slipped in a bit more about them this chapter, but I'm a little worried because I wonder if people even want to know about them. I mean, you do, but what does the majority want to see? Thanks so much for the nice review. I'm a little speechless (as usual), but thank you!

**Posuki-chan**--Wow, you're hyper. (giggles) I guess that's okay, though. I tend to be like that myself. I'm happy that you enjoy this fic and I'm flattered that you put a link to this on your webpage. Unfortunately, ate the link and I can't see get there. I'd glad you enjoy my writing of Subaru. (smiles) Hate to disappoint, but I will never do a songfic. Never. It's just something I don't do. I put the songs at the bottom that I was listening to during the writing of the chapter, but that's all. Still, it's a nice suggestion. Thank you. I'm glad I was able to make you happy with this fic and I hope you enjoyed this installment. (hugs)

**Tekoo**--Wow, that's a long one, teko-chan. You really outdid yourself. You believe in fate, eh? Then what good are "choices"? (cries) It makes me sad to think about it. Sorry I made it sound like something bad would happen. It may, it may not. (evil laughter) As for Hokuto-chan, what's wrong with her clothes? (blinks innocently at you as she slips into the infamous cat outfit, complete with bells) Glad school is out. And I got a full-tuition scholarship today! Whoopee! So college is the next step! Have you been possessed by a fourth-grader? I have! Nyehehehehe! (squirts you with a water gun) S for Seishiro's attitude, he's one evil guy. Bad Sei-chan! Bad! Shameless! Amoral bastard. Anyway, I agree on the point that if stupidity were an emotion, Sei-chan would have it in abundance. It's a quotable thing you said, you know? You're so smart, you figured out the sakanagi! (bows to you) The dream sequence was enjoyed? (dances happily) Oh, and I didn't even have to look back at my previous reply to understand your review. Heh.heh. Go me! My memory remains Alzheimer-free!

**Sakanagi**--Aw, last but not least, my dear Sakanagi-chan… Thanks for the kind comments (as always). Glad you liked the characterization and glad you liked the overlapping dreams. (Dreams are intriguing in themselves, aren't they?) I teetered on making Seishiro take the dream seriously, but if he did that he may as well have admitted the possibility that he might love the kid, and I couldn't have that. Instead, he remains in deep-rooted denial. Mwahaha. Poor stupid Sei-chan. "Supposedly unemotional judgement". (snorts) Gimme a break, Sei-chan. Sorry about my vileness. This fic brings out the worst in me. Hope this chapter sufficed for you, and thanks again for reviewing!

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: "I love you." _


	14. XIII Interpretation

"And sometimes, when two people come together, they come alive. You can see it in their eyes. An extra glimmer, a deeper color. Subaru does that. His eyes, I mean. They come alive like I've never seen before. That's why I…that's why I let Seishiro into his life. When Seishiro is there, Subaru lights up. He lights up so beautifully. How could a person deny that when it stares them in the face? How could I deny Subaru the chance to live a life for himself?

"And sometimes I think that, though many people find it hard to see, Seishiro awakens as well. Behind that histrionic, overzealous act is something worth letting live. Sometimes, when I least expect it, Seishiro lights up, too. But it is gone in a flash, replaced by a stormy expression I am unwilling to decipher. So I let them both live, if only for a while. I can't explain it, but I feel as if time runs short – like most of the sand in the hourglass has already sifted to the very bottom. But there isn't time for that now. For now, we all have to live. That is all we should do; that is all we can do."

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**Illusory Tandem**

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Kiyoshi sat alone in the dark. The windows overlooking the city were thrown open, letting a cool breeze infiltrate the room. He hated this apartment. Unwatched, cigarette ashes dropped to the floor, losing their glow as they came into contact with the carpet rug. As he watched the light steadily fade away, he wondered…What was he going to do about his Wish? Scoffing, he crushed the remainder of his cigarette in the ash tray on the table beside the couch. He leaned backward, letting his eyes rest on the ceiling. Now free, his hand crept its way into the neckline opening of his shirt, seeking solace in the one artifact that remained of his beloved's existence. Wrapping securely around the ornament, his fingers felt the coldness of the metal.

He was ill. The result of too much food at once. It wasn't an unfamiliar sensation. Shaking with the effort of holding the sickness within, he gripped the necklace tighter. This was madness, he realized. Being here, in the now-time, was unhinging him. He swayed between icy indifference and feverish emotion, the effect of coming into contact with those he would love and protect. Memories were dancing behind his eyelids, taunting him. In one frame, there was little Hokuto, running excitedly into Obaa-chan's garden, yelling back to him, _Come on, Subaru! _In another, she was wrapping all sorts of vibrantly-colored fabrics round him, remarking on how beautiful he was and giggling about the implication that she was too.

He threw his arm over his head, blocking out what little light reached them. His head was pounding, pounding, pounding. His throat was constricted with the effort to hold down all the food he had eaten. His mind was a whirl of confusion. Hokuto twirled in ballerina shoes and Seishiro dipped him in a pseudo-romantic dance. With a bang, Hokuto fell to on the ground, blood streaming down her shikufu. He could never run fast enough. Next came Seishiro, he was smiling and he was fading away. Hefting himself in one last ditch show of strength, his lips passed close to Subaru's ear…and then there was wind once again.

Kiyoshi held his head in his trembling hands. What was happening to him? Why…why did he have to relive this? The cold shell he had existed within after the deaths of the two he loved so deeply was crumbling. Hokuto had broken it

_Hokuto…Seishiro…alive…_

He didn't have time to dash towards the bathroom before he was sick all over himself. His heaving was violently, coughing as everything was ejected from his system. After it was over, he tried to regain his balance. The world was going in and out of focus, room wobbling back and forth like the pudding dessert Hokuto had forced him to eat. He stumbled to the bathroom, groping the wall for the light switch. A minute later, he was throwing up again, vomit leaking down his chin.

At first, he tried to keep his hair out of his face, but he gave up quickly. He found himself wishing someone were here…someone who might hold his hair back and hold him protectively while stroking his spine. Hokuto had always taken care of him when he was sick. Seishiro had helped him once as well. He couldn't remember much about the encounter, but he was sure he had felt warm hands rubbing his shoulder blades…and he was almost certain that lips had pressed into his hair for a brief moment.

A short while later, he was leaning back against the cabinets taking air in great gulps. He was a disgusting mess. Glancing lazily at the shower, he wished again for the presence of another so that he could be held upright as the scalding water washed over his sensitive skin. An image of a man with dark hair and golden eyes invaded his mind and his heart threatened to stop beating altogether. He suddenly realized that he wanted to see Seishiro very much. He wanted to bask in the warmth of that presence, even if he couldn't touch him. He wanted to see him. He wanted to…

Crawling towards the shower, he gasped as tears began to leak from his eyes.

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Ryuzo lay with his stomach to the hardwood floor, twirling his light, brown-colored bangs with his fingers while scanning the words in his science book. "I hate this," he grumbled, banging his fist on the floor. He raised his head to stare at his cousin, who was across the room. "Kanaye, can't you help me out a little?"

Kanaye stood in front of the sink, up to his elbows in grimy dishes. "I already told you," he growled, eyes flashing, "I dropped out of high school early so there's no way in hell I can help you with that stuff. I don't know why you decided to raid my apartment anyway. You would've been better off going to a teacher's house or something."

Ryuzo's eyes darkened, his mouth flattening into a grim line. "I can't," he said, voice sounding oddly timid. "I got major problems with my science teacher. Besides, you should be a great help. You were gruelingly tutored up till the point you dropped out, right?" he pressed, blinking falsely innocent blue eyes at his older cousin.

Kanaye stopped, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. "Yes, that may be true," he said after some time, "but I'm no Einstein." The foreign name sounded especially thick when spoken with a Japanese accent. "I usually disappointed all of my teachers with my unwillingness to learn. I wanted to get out and live, not be stuck in a room as some useless greenhorn. I like art and fashion lots more than science and math. But what's the deal anyway? I know for a fact that your dad keeps plenty of tutors on staff at your house. Anyway, aren't you supposed to be Mr. Academic? A rival to the Imonoyama family's heir? Advanced studies and all that?"

"I wouldn't know about being a rival to Imonoyama…I've never met him. I'm not that interested in general studies to tell the truth. Father's had me tutored since I could walk, though." Ryuzo ran a hand through his light brown hair. "I've been skipping school for a while, since I ran away."

Kanaye heaved a great sigh and stepped away from the sink, drying his hands on a small dishtowel hanging from a peg on the wall. "I've been meaning to ask you about that. Why did you run away in the first place?"

Ryuzo deadpanned, shadows covering his eyes as he bowed his head. "I can't believe you'd ask me that. You should understand how stifling it is to be in that sort of upscale world. Everyone expects so much and they weigh you down with such a tight schedule, the stress might kill you before you're good for anything. Isn't that how you felt when you ran away?"

Kanaye was silent. He turned his back on the boy, sticking his hands back in the murky water to resume washing. "My reason…was different."

Ryuzo started at the older boy, the mass of wavy blond hair tied messily into a low ponytail demanding most of his attention. He quietly returned to his books and, frustrated with the facet of science he was studying, turned to mathematics. After about five minutes, he was fed up. "Kanaye-kun!" he whined, picking himself off the floor. "Can I call someone over? Maybe Mashiro-san could help."

Kanaye's back went rigid at the thought of the older man. "No."

"Why not?" Ryuzo asked, getting to his feet and crossing the room to the phone.

"Just…no. He won't know any more than I do." To his horror, he heard the click of Ryzuo picking up the phone. Spinning around, he fixed the kid with a glare. "What are you doing?"

"Calling Mashiro-san, of course," Ryuzo chuckled evilly, punching in the numbers.

Kanaye didn't bother drying his hands as he dashed across the room. He grabbed the phone from his cousin's hand and slammed it down on the receiver. "I said no!"

Ryuzo's eyes widened at Kanaye's uncontrolled movements. "Hey, I had already dialed the number! That means you hung up on him. He's gonna be mad at you."

Kanaye smoothed his frazzled hair, disregarding the fact that he was getting messy suds in it. "Let me look at your damn work, all right? There's no need to call _anyone_."

Ryuzo grinned roguishly. Kanaye was so easy to play. He grabbed the slightly taller boy's hand and dragged him over to his study spot in front of the couch. Kanaye sat heavily on the cushions, drying his hands carelessly on one of the blankets slung over the chair arms. Ryuzo gathered one of his school books and grabbed a notebook. Then, he plopped the book in Kanaye's lap and crawled beside him, sitting closer than Kanaye would have liked.

"What page?" Kanaye asked, trying to ignore the feel of Ryuzo latching on to his arm and nuzzling into his neck.

"Two-fifty," Ryzuo said, twining his hands in Kanaye's unkempt hair as if he were some curious toddler.

Kanaye flipped to the page and jumped as he felt Ryuzo's surprisingly clammy fingers ghost over his jaw. Sweat-dropping, he turned to the kid with flat eyes. "What are you doing?" he grumbled irately.

"Playing," said Ryuzo angelically. "Why are you being so grumpy? You're all happy-hyper around others. Don't like me because I'm family?"

He tired to ignore the younger boy's touchy-feely behavior and turned his eyes to the book. He was met with such a messy section of mumbo-jumbo that he felt the sudden urge to crack his head open against the coffee table. "What the hell is this stuff?" he shrieked, tossing the book at Ryuzo and leaping off the couch.

"Quantum physics," Ryuzo said, idly twirling locks of his short brown hair in his fingers.

"Q-Quantum--!" Kanaye sputtered. "What the hell! You're just fourteen! What happened to regular science?"

Ryuzo shrugged. "Clamp School happened. They base your studies on what you know. Call it individualized study rather than mass curriculum. Can I call someone now?"

Kanaye sniffed. "I guess. But why don't we call Hamada-san first? He's in this apartment complex. I wonder if he went through college. Anyway, it'd be worth a shot."

Ryuzo tilted his head as he remembered the odd, and somewhat scary, man who had saved his life. "Sure. But I want to call Mashiro-san, too!"

"All right, all right," Kanaye conceded. The atmosphere when Mashiro was around had become increasingly uncomfortable as of late. But Mashiro had gone further in school than he had. Maybe he really could help.

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Kiyoshi stumbled out of the shower, his skin glowing pink after standing under steaming water of a frightfully hot temperature. His body was bereft of unnatural elements, except for a single ornament worn on a gold chain around his neck. He would never take it off. This annoyed his modeling agent to no end, but it had soon been accepted with a grudging smile. It would be his trademark in the industry, the child had said. Kiyoshi didn't really care either way. The cross bore the characters which spelled Seishiro's name. He would never part with it.

Water pooled around his feet as he splashed over to the sink. He gripped the edges of the counter and watched morosely as trails of water dripped down his arms and down to his wrists. He stopped there. He refused to look at his hands. He raised his eyes to the mirror, but there was no ghostly vision of a sixteen-year-old Subaru staring back at him this time. There was only a dim outline reflected back at him, obscured by the fog. With a trembling hand, he wiped a wide trail across the mirror. Now he could see himself. He pushed his bangs back, revealing both eyes. One was a bright amber color and the other a dull green. He felt special then, as he gazed at the golden eye – closer to Seishiro. Reaching towards the mirror, he skimmed his fingers over the surface of the mismatched eye. Entranced, he leaned forward, naked hips knocking the edge of the counter painfully.

"Sei…"

A tongue touched cool surface. Lips danced against glass. Muffled, a name was murmured.

"Seishiro…"

He could see him in his mind. Dressed impeccably all in black as he reached up to take his sunglasses off, revealing a gray false-eye that was Subaru's fault. Then Seishiro smiled, sensuous lips spreading wide to accommodate the action. Fake smile; real mouth. His grin was like an eager child's as raising a hand in greeting, lips moving to form the syllables for "Subaru-kun". Kiyoshi desperately wanted to say hello, but he just kept on kissing, brutally forcing his mouth against the smooth surface. He could reach Seishiro. He could touch him. He could see him behind his eyelids, lurking half-hidden in shadow.

"Seishiro!"

He was turning away now, the hand raised in greeting becoming a parting gesture instead. Kiyoshi cried out, throat crackling in pain. He had decided long ago – he would never say goodbye. Not to Seishiro.

The phone rang.

Kiyoshi was catapulted from the daydream, all traces of an illusionary Seishiro vanishing when he opened his eyes. His lips stuck to the mirror, smacking wetly as he pulled them away. He stared at the print his lips had made on the mirror for a brief second, wishing for nothing more than the chance to leave a mark like that on Seishiro. He shook his head after that, sighing as the image of the man he loved faded completely from his eyes.

He walked to the living room. The breeze from the open window was bitingly cold against his skin. He picked up the phone, just moments before it gave out its last ring. It was Kanaye, begging him to pretty please assist his younger cousin with his homework. He told him that he had dropped out of high school, so he probably wouldn't be able to help, but Kanaye insisted that he come anyway. There were modeling schedules to go over, after all.

Kiyoshi was beginning to hate his cover job.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seishiro was administering routine vaccines to a writhing pup when the knock on the door came. "Come in," he called, sighing as the puppy began to whine. He forcibly ignored the sound of the door opening. He didn't look up even as timid footsteps sounded nearer and nearer. He had known it was Subaru the minute the boy had entered the clinic, after all.

"Hello, Subaru-kun," he called pleasantly, not looking up from his work.

There was a peculiar seed of uncertainty in his chest. After the incident that morning, or rather, after his unusually blatant and arduous sexual advances toward the boy, he didn't know what to think. He had never felt a sexual desire that strong, nor had he ever experienced the fleeting want to please someone else. Even now, he remained very aware of Subaru, secretly wanting to make him comfortable and put him at ease, so the boy would come to him willingly in due time. This was not the way things were supposed to be. That sort of activity with the prey was out-of-bounds under the terms of the bet. Or at least, he had decided quite some time ago that they were. Unnecessary involvement and interest were to be cast away, leaving Subaru with less means of winning, not that he had a chance to begin with.

Despite himself, he couldn't help but wonder what Subaru had made of it all. Was he happy, angry, disgusted, scared, or did he simply harbor pity for the older friend? Or perhaps he was ecstatic, lying eagerly in wait for another confrontation. Sticking the next needle into the puppy somewhat roughly, he grimaced when it gave a startled yelp and began thrashing against his grip. He cursed under his breath.

Gloved hands came into his field of vision. They pressed down on the puppy soothingly, and then came Subaru's soft, lilting voice.

"Seishiro-san."

Seishiro scowled at the thrill that ran through his body.

"Subaru-kun."

"Can I help?"

"You're already helping, of course," Seishiro grinned, running his hand carelessly over the puppy's ears before plunging the last shot into one of its short, stubby legs.

Subaru stared hard at Seishiro's face, studying the almost-hidden lines of stress. "Have you had a hard day?" It was unusual for the man not to greet him with an overabundance of zeal and enthusiasm.

Seishiro's eyes crinkled as he beamed a wide, empty smile. "Mildly," he replied, attempting and failing to put a sort of bounciness into his tone.

Subaru smiled shyly. "I'm sorry," he said, absently stroking a finger over the puppy's neck. "Maybe I shouldn't have come."

Seishiro couldn't tell what was going through Subaru's mind. The boy was quiet, but that wasn't exactly unusual. The main thing that put him at unease was the absence of overly formal politeness, which usually Subaru observed with such absolutism it was mind-boggling. What did Subaru think about their romantic session that had taken place that morning? He was about to slip a sly comment regarding the happenings into an innocent conversation, but then Subaru began to speak.

"I'm sorry I missed you this morning. I slept till noon, and when I woke up, you were already gone before I could see you." He turned his eyes away from Seishiro in an adorable display of bashfulness. "I got your note, though."

Seishiro threw another comforting, empty smile Subaru's way. "Did you?" he asked kindly. Meanwhile, his mind worked furiously before arriving at the conclusion that Subaru had done one of many things: he been too sleepy to properly appreciate their foreplay, he had assumed it an embarrassing dream, or he was in serious denial and had convinced himself that nothing had transpired. He almost laughed. Shrugging, he decided that it didn't really matter anyway. Whatever he had done to forget, the end result was the same. Subaru obviously had no current recollection of the incident, which was much easier for Seishiro.

"This pup is all finished," Seishiro murmured soothingly, picking it up with as much care as any loving veterinarian would, and deposited it back in its cage. "Would you like some tea?"

As soon as the offer was voiced, the tinkling of the bells from the front door sounded.

"Ah," he chuckled. "That's probably another patient. I'm afraid the tea will have to wait."

Subaru blushed, unconsciously reaching out to clench his fingers around the white fabric of Seishiro's lab coat.

Seishiro stared at the hand blankly before meeting Subaru's eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

"I can make the tea," the boy offered quietly, self-consciously letting go of Seishiro's coat. "Please?"

Seishiro tilted his head.

"That's fine. You know where everything is, I trust?"

Subaru beamed, suddenly insanely happy that he was going to do something for Seishiro for once.

"I can manage."

With a faint smirk on his face, Seishiro watched him go. Subaru always wore such deliciously taunting clothes. Today, he had opted for the usual leather pants and turtleneck-collar shirt. Hokuto's spicy originality, however, accounted for the unusual accents. There were slits in all the right places, and splashes of red paint in the shadows. The assortment of zippers and buckles practically screamed Hokuto's name. As for Subaru, he seemed blissfully unaware of what a spectacle he made. Trust an innocent boy to make even the craziest assortments look unbelievably sexy. He paid close attention as Subaru disappeared behind the door, his hips swaying lightly as he walked.

Seishiro tore his mind away from the unclean thoughts that pervaded his mind and walked briskly to the front entrance, intent on greeting his new patient and its owner with a chipper smile. When he entered the waiting room, he did a double-take.

He was met with a hunched-over figure dressed in a magenta and turquoise dress. The assortment of beads and gaudy jewelry hanging from her personage clashed terribly against one another. The beady black-brown eyes fell on him and he felt annoyance boil in his belly. Now was a bad time, his mind complained. He was not going to entertain an old woman, and certainly not this particular old woman. He remembered her cheeky attitude and overbearing tendencies quite well. He scanned her to find that she had no pet for him to examine, just a gaudy carpetbag.

"Can I help you?" he forced himself to say charmingly.

She whirled on him.

"Seishiro-kun!" she exclaimed, withered hands coming up to grip the lapels of his lab coat. "You're finally here!"

Seishiro inclined his head slightly.

"Excuse me?"

"Do you have any idea how many times I've come by?" she asked, waving a business card in his face furiously. "I thought you had lied to me if not for the Sakurazuka sign out front!"

He felt no need to tell her that the reason for his irregular clinic hours was tied to Sumeragi Subaru. Why was she here anyway? Oh, yes. That was right. She was supposed to deliver something his mother had left in her possession or something. He gently released her hands' hold on his coat.

"Good lady, would you like to come in?" he asked, holding the door open to the main part of his clinic. He hoped to make this quick and get her away before she could make a fuss over Subaru, or perhaps reveal too much regarding his family. His instinct said to kill her, but it really wasn't a good time.

She cocked one bushy, gray-speckled eyebrow at him.

"Tryin' to sweet talk me, hm, young man?"

"Of course, M'lady."

She heaved a rattling sigh and followed him in. Once inside, he slid out a chair for her, which she settled heavily in.

"Thank you," she said for the sake of propriety. She fingered her carpetbag while she glanced around. "You've got a pretty nice place here. You do well in this biz?"

"Well enough," Seishiro replied, hanging his lab coat on a peg on the wall. He turned around and crossed the room. He narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. "Let's get to the point, shall we?" he asked, just a trace of malice in his voice.

She glanced at the ceiling innocently, ignoring his unspoken threat.

"You know, as a veterinarian, you should have flocks of young women swarming to you. You should be married – most certainly not a zero at the bottom of the love scale. You're plenty good-looking too, despite that dorky air you have about you."

"Madam," Seishiro repeated exasperately. "What are you here for? I thought your aim was to deliver something."

She huffed.

"Yes, yes. I got the delivery," she clipped open her bag and withdrew a small sack, thrusting it towards Seishiro, "but seeing as I never had children or got to be a grandmother, I'm going to pester you. Now, a well-to-do bachelor like yourself needs a lover!"

Seishiro took the small bag and was about to shoot back a retort when the side door opened, revealing lavishly-dressed Subaru, who was having minor difficulty balancing tea and cups on a silver tray.

The old woman's eyes focused on him immediately, widening to the point that it seemed they would pop right out of their sockets. She eyed Subaru up and down, jaw gaping open in a way that made Seishiro feel just a little bit smug despite himself. He felt an odd sense of pride and possessiveness for the simple fact that Subaru was beautiful.

Subaru flushed immediately as his eyes settled on the newcomer.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he fumbled, setting the tray down on a table, "I didn't know we – I – I'll go get another cup!"

The door shut as the boy rushed to carry out his promise.

The old woman looked at Seishiro.

"He's cute."

"Isn't he?" Seishiro laughed, tilting his head thoughtfully.

A few seconds later, Subaru returned, nearly slipping as he crossed the room in a hurry.

"I – I'm sorry," he murmured, quickly pouring the old lady a cup of tea. "I made the tea, so it might not be very good."

The woman crinkled her brown-black eyes in amusement as she took a large, daring sip of the substance. It was good, if not a little too sweet.

"What's your name, young man?"

Subaru squeaked, feeling outrageously impolite for not introducing himself sooner.

"I – I'm Sumeragi Subaru!" he burst out, wringing his hands together.

At the revelation of his family name, Seishiro saw the woman raise an eyebrow in veiled suspicion. She looked sideways at him through narrowed eyes before returning her attention to Subaru.

"You may cell me Makino," she said heartily, "my dear Head of the Sumeragi Clan."

Subaru blushed. "How-?"

"Television," she answered smoothly. "You've a cult following, you know, despite how little you've been seen."

Subaru laughed nervously as he took a seat. He motioned for Seishiro to sit down, but the man shook his head, wishing to remain standing.

"I wish you wouldn't say things like that, Makino-san," Subaru said shyly. He glanced around distractedly. "Um, did you bring a pet in?"

She laughed, the sound more like a bark than anything else.

"No."

"Then – ?"

She glanced at Seishiro mischievously.

"I came here to drop something off. Something that was left in my possession long ago – trinkets his mother had me engrave."

Subaru gasped and looked at Seishiro interestedly. His eyes flicked to the sack Seishiro held in his hands and back up to his face again.

"Your mother," he whispered, questions dancing in his eyes. Seishiro had never told him anything regarding his family.

Seishiro smiled, the action feeling a little tense and forced. He could see the plea in Subaru's eyes, _Let me see_. He nodded toward him, trying to convey the message that they would deal with such a thing later, when Makino was gone.

Makino was smirking like a devil as she looked at them.

"Well," she laughed, setting her teacup down. "That tea was certainly delicious, Sumeragi-kun. Now, if you will forgive me, I must be going."

She rose from her seat and smoothed her dress down. The bright flowers on it reminded Seishiro of ugly wallpaper. She grasped her carpetbag in one hand and gave a sloppy, almost sarcastic bow.

"I'll leave you two alone now – Seishiro-kun, Sumeragi-kun." She walked to the door and wrenched it open. Casting a look back over her shoulder, she added, "I know lovers don't like to be disturbed." Then, she shut the door with a final click and was gone.

Subaru lost his balance, sliding sideways out of his chair and landing in a heap on the floor.

"Agh!" he cried, covering his glowing face with his hands. "Why?" he moaned. "Why do people always assume that we're – that we're – !" He gulped audibly.

Seishiro smiled fondly at the squirming teenager on the floor. So cute. He set the sack on the table and knelt down beside Subaru. He rested a hand on the boy's forehead.

"Perhaps we give off an aura," he said lightly, taking delight in the fact that Subaru's skin under his fingers grew even hotter.

Subaru made a strangled noise.

"Actually," Seishiro chuckled, "I think she was joking. She must have realized straight away how cute you are flustered."

He tugged Subaru's hands away from his face and helped him up. Subaru's eyes were really green when he blushed; Seishiro loved the contrast. He guided Subaru gently into a chair and took the vacant one opposite him.

"Cute," Subaru repeated dazedly in a quiet voice.

"Now," Seishiro said, taking the sack in his hands and peering inside. He was really rather curious as of to what the objects were. He would rather have done this in private, but the old woman had eradicated that chance when she'd revealed her errand in front of Subaru. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the boy perk up remarkably and lean forward with interest.

Seishiro met his eyes and smiled. He reached inside and was perplexed when his hand met cold metal. Pulling out his hand, he found that he grasped two necklaces, each with an ornate ornament on its gold chain.

Subaru gasped in the background, a word tumbling from his lips that sounded like "pretty".

Seishiro held them to the light, watching with interest at the light caught them – made them shine. One was an intricately shaped camellia, the flower his mother had dearly loved. The other was a cross. There was a long silence as the necklaces dangled freely in the light. Then, Seishiro put them down, lying them flat on the table.

"My mother loved pretty things," he said finally, dismissing them. They were of no use, after all.

Subaru poked at them timidly, glancing up at Seishiro for permission to examine them more closely.

"You can look all you like," Seishiro said, standing up. "I have a few patients to check on."

Subaru exhaled a small, relieved breath and slid the necklaces closer.

"Wow," he mouthed, toying with the one shaped like a cross. It looked expensive, perhaps an import from India. Picking it up carefully, he let it swing back and forth in the light. Complex weavings and designs made the otherwise plain design look complicated. He turned it over in his hands, examining the back with interest. "Seishiro," he read.

Seishiro looked up from his clipboard.

"Hm? What is it?"

Subaru blushed, embarrassed at being caught murmuring to himself.

"Ah – er – your name," he explained, "it's engraved on the back here."

Seishiro moved to stand behind Subaru and peered over his shoulder.

"Oh," he said. "That's thoughtful, isn't it?"

Subaru settled his gaze on Seishiro's face, his position creating an odd perspective as he looked up.

"Your mother must have really wanted you to have it," he said seriously, eyes glimmering. "Don't you want to wear it?"

Seishiro's expression was unreadable for a moment, and then he chuckled quietly.

"Such a thing would look silly on me, don't you think? It would look odd with my tie."

"But, Seishi – " Subaru's protest died on his lips before he could properly voice it. All of a sudden, his fingers felt tingly, as if they had suffered from severe electric shock. The sensation traveled up his arms and settled directly in the center of his chest. There, his heart tightened and tightened until it felt it would burst. He dropped the necklace, and it landed with a loud chink on the tabletop. He gripped his chair in panic and brought one hand to his chest. A loud whooshing noise assaulted his ears, and he could hear nothing other than the torrential waves of a tsunami.

It seemed like forever before he registered a deep voice calling out to him and strong hands shaking his shoulders.

"Subaru-kun! Subaru!"

He groped in darkness until his fingers found the hand on his shoulder and gripped it tightly. He opened his eyes.

"Seishiro-san," he gasped, panting for air. "What – ?"

"Are you all right?" Seishiro asked concernedly, eyeing the necklace on the table with suspicion.

"Yes," Subaru whispered, embarrassed as Seishiro's hands glided over him, checking his health.

Seishiro straightened up and adjusted his glasses. Whether or not the necklaces had anything to do with Subaru's lapse of consciousness, he was going to move them to a safer place.

"I think I'll take these somewhere else," Seishiro said, swiping both the camellia and the cross off the table in one fluid motion.

"Oh!" Subaru started quickly, trying to find a way to put his experience into words. "It was – it was the same as that time…"

Seishiro's eyes trained on him with interest.

"What time?"

"The time...in the mirror and the time with the – the sakanagi," he whispered, staring at his hands as if they would somehow give him an explanation.

There a silence between them before Seishiro exited the room with the necklaces in hand.

Subaru was surprised to find that he was trembling. Like before, a deathly cold had come into his bones. He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering. Again, an inexplicable fear was attacking his heart, screaming loudly that his world, as well as the people he loved, were not safe.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I don't know how to help you," Kiyoshi said solemnly, scanning the contents of the ridiculously thick physics book. "I dropped out of high school."

Ryuzo looked put out.

"What is up with everyone dropping out? Is there no integrity left in the world?" he asked exasperatedly, leaning back heavily of the arm of the couch.

"You little brat! That's no way to treat the man who rescued your worthless butt!" Kanaye hissed, pinching his younger cousin hard on the arm.

"Ow!"

Kiyoshi closed his eyes and stood up, depositing the book on the coffee table.

"Don't worry about it," he said quietly. "That was nothing."

It really was, he reflected, remembering the thugs he had beaten before Hokuto's eyes in order the save the youth. It was nothing. It meant nothing. A brief flare of energy that died out soon after igniting. The only purpose it served was to further validate the fact that he was no longer Subaru. Hokuto would never know of his true self, for Sumeragi Subaru would never resort to such brutality when dealing with even the dirtiest of thugs.

Kanaye had opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of the door being thrown open. Mashiro stood, eyes as black as ever, narrowly observing the party camped out near the couch.

"Mashiro-san," Ryuzo said enthusiastically, "I know you can help me here. Physics was your forte, am I right?"

Mashiro shrugged as he discarded his shoes and slipped out of his coat.

"Maybe," he said quietly, stalking slowly across the room like some enormous predator.

Kiyoshi stepped away from him as he neared, allowing him the vacant seat beside Ryuzo. The young man flopped down immediately, becoming comfortable among the various cushions. He snatched the textbook from the table and opened it with interest.

"Page two hundred fifty," Ryuzo supplied, saddling up beside the older man like a small child being read a bedtime story.

Kiyoshi looked at stared at them impassively before taking a seat in a one-person armchair in the corner. They had rearranged themselves accordingly so that Mashiro was sandwiched by the smaller boys, Kanaye and Ryuzo. Kanaye was trying to manage a way to look at the contents of the book without brushing Mashiro in any way. Ryuzo, on the other hand, was content to be so close it violated personal space.

"Advanced," Mashiro said, stealing the pencil that was tucked precariously behind Ryuzo's ear, "but not so difficult mathematically. Give me your notebook."

Kanaye's face was red and his brows were furrowed in frustration.

"Not so difficult, you say? Hmph! I wouldn't listen to him, Ryuzo, you'll fail for sure with his answers."

Ryuzo's eyes widened at the hostility in his cousin's voice.

"Kanaye-kun…?"

"If you fail to remember," Mashiro murmured, his eyes darkening stormily, "I was at the top of my class and excelled in the field of science. Just because I don't prance around reveling in fashion and half-assed earnings doesn't mean I'm stupid. You'd do well to remember that."

The temperature of the room felt like it had dropped a hundred degrees.

"Oh, so?" Kanaye replied coolly after a brief silence. "Well, then, I guess you can spend the rest of your hours proving me wrong." He got to his feet and practically stomped towards the kitchen, exaggerating his speech with each movement. "I'm – making – tea."

Kiyoshi stared after him, wondering to himself if he had been that transparent when he was young. He felt dark eyes glaring at him and looked up to find that Mashiro was staring at him in a way that promised death. He wondered too, if Seishiro had looked at others who might or might not have been close to him in such a manner. Nodding polite acknowledgement to the young man, he got to his feet and shuffled towards the kitchen as well.

Once in the kitchen area, he found Kanaye banging many pots and pans together in his search for a kettle to boil tea in. The blond was a whirl of agitation, seeming to only barely hold back his tears.

"Oh, hi Hamada-san," he said shakily once he caught sight of Kiyoshi. He pasted on a crooked smile. "I need you to stop by tomorrow. I got an offer to feature one of your pictures in a magazine, isn't that great?" His voice lacked his usual enthusiasm. "We can go over the details tomorrow."

He fell silent again, mechanically preparing the tea. Kiyoshi nodded his acquiescence of the proposal to go over the modeling details. He wasn't very happy about being featured in a magazine ad, but after a little deliberation he decided it didn't really matter as long as it wasn't too revealing. He let his eyes settle on the frazzled agent once more.

"You should tell him, you know," he found himself saying levelly. "You never know when you won't be able to talk to him again." He had no idea, really, why he felt the need to give this advice. His heart was squeezing though, when he thought of the time Seishiro had died in his arms. In actuality, Subaru had never gotten around to telling Seishiro that he loved him.

Kanaye stilled his action for a moment, eyes growing wide at the implication. He seemed to fight with the idea in his mind for a time before submitting and letting his eyes moisten.

"I – it's not that simple," he said croakily, his voice low. "Not when he's already rejected the very words I fought so long to tell him." Jerkily, he set the tea cups on a tray and strode toward the living room again, leaving a blank Kiyoshi in his wake.

A few minutes later, Kiyoshi rejoined the group in the living room, feeling discordantly out of place in such a lively group. Mashiro and Ryuzo seemed to have finished the written work and were engaged in a deep conversation involving wormholes, black holes, gravitation, and time. He really had no idea how time-space could be bent nor did he have any intention of learning about it, so he didn't pay much attention to their conversation.

"It is understood by the renowned scientists that time runs backwards and forwards," Ryuzo was saying. "One man even proposed that time would continue linearly until it reached the end. Then, it would reverse backward, running in the opposite direction until it reached the beginning, then it would start all over again. The cycle would continue forever."

"Wow," Kanaye breathed. "You mean, like the universe would reverse? Like, broken cups would come together and people would walk and talk backwards?"

"That's been disproved," Mashiro said grumpily.

"Ah, but you got to admit, Mashiro-san," Ryuzo said, brushing a hand through his short hair. "It sure is an interesting theory. And scientific study can't prove everything. Some things just…_are_."

"If you're going to take that route, you might as well abandon science and take up writing crappy sci-fi," Mashiro growled, twirling a pencil in his hands.

"Maybe," Ryuzo said. "Maybe not. There are so many things we haven't conquered or even ventured into, so we don't know how things will react in such environments. Time travel, for instance – ever elusive to the scientific community, and therefore scoffed at."

This topic peaked Kiyoshi's interest, he tried not to look to too eager as her listened.

"For instance, changing the past. Can it really been done? Or does it exist in a paradox already without our knowledge? Perhaps the past is being changed as we speak. Perhaps you and I won't be here tomorrow, as our parents will have been assassinated?" Ryuzo continued, looking years older than he actually was.

"Dangit!" Kanaye complained. "You're hurting my head, brat! You're worse than those kids at Clamp Campus! Talking about new inventions and up-an-coming theories! Why can't you all be content to live happily with what we've got – improve the world we have – instead of stretching the boundaries?"

"But don't you see that stretching the boundaries can improve our world, Kanaye-kun?" Ryuzo asked, eyes round and saucer-like.

"I've read about this," Mashiro broke in. "There's talk of alternate dimensions, of fruitless impossibility when it comes to actually traveling time-space, but that seems kind of hard to swallow."

"Well, I wonder how two exact bodies would react in the same dimension-space," Ryuzo said thoughtfully. "Hmm. That's something I've always wondered about."

"What the Hell do you mean?" Kanaye whined.

Ryuzo's blue eyes blazed.

"What I mean is, what if you were thrown back with your younger self? What effects could that have on your body?" He folded his hands in his lap and stared at them. "If you believe that nothing is exact, that everything has a unique soul, even things with the same genetic makeup, that even clones are different, as I do, then you begin to wonder if having two same bodies in the same space-time violates any sort of law."

Mashiro scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"Like, what will having to quantities do to the body? Will they be chemical as in equilibrium, inching towards a balance in the middle, will they – ?"

"You're forgetting one thing," Mashiro said smugly.

"What?"

"Age," Mashiro said simply. "If someone went backwards or forewords, he would not be the same as his past or future self. Cells and parts of the body are constantly dying and regenerating. They would be different in age."

Ryuzo looked put out.

"Oh," he said sullenly. "But what about the soul? That's exact no matter what, right?"

"Now you're getting into religion same as anything else," Mashiro grumbled. "And I'm staying out of it. Depends on if you believe that a sinned soul is different than a newer, younger one and all that. That is, if you even believe in a soul. Pah. Leave the idea alone, I said."

"What about a sort of human equilibrium can be reached between the two?" Ryuzo pressed.

"Now it sounds like alchemy, and that isn't even real. Leave it alone, I said!"

Kanaye's eyes were wide in incomprehension. Kiyoshi's were wide with interest.

"Don't you have some math left to do?" Mashiro asked plainly.

Ryuzo shuffled through the pages of his notebook.

"I did most of it except for the last problem. I couldn't get it to work out quite right. Could you look at it for me?" He thrust the paper under the older boy's nose and waited.

Mashiro stared hard at the problem before rolling his eyes.

"You are idiotic, kid. You made the mistake early on so no wonder it never worked out."

"What'd I do?" Ryuzo asked, tilting his head.

"You forgot to cancel these out," he said, pointing to two 13's on the paper.

"Oh!" Ryuzo exclaimed, smacking his palm to his forehead. "Now I feel like third grader."

"Now you can find the derivative," Mashiro said crossly, shoving the notebook back at the boy. "And I know you can do all the rest."

"I can't believe I looked over something so simple," Ryuzo huffed. "Canceling out, ha!"

"Canceling out," Kiyoshi murmured quietly to himself, gold eye reflecting the scratch marks the boy was administering to his notebook.

"_Canceling out."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hokuto was on a merry-go-round. It was speeding round and round in a blur of colorful motion. Her pink-and-silver unicorn was lifting up and down in time to the carnival music. She hung on to its neck gleefully, letting her feet dangle off either side. Laughing, she watched the wind catch the ruffles of her dress. Craning her neck, she could see Subaru behind her, looking half-afraid and half-ecstatic as he clung fiercely to his golden stallion's neck. She giggled and called out to him. She saw his lips move to the syllables of her name in reply.

"Subaru!"

All too soon, the ride began to slow, finally coming to a screeching halt as all the little children clambered down from their trusty steeds. Hokuto planted a kiss between the ears of her plastic but loyal unicorn, before climbing down herself. She had intended to go to Subaru, to help him down as any good sister would, but when she turned around, she saw a tall high school boy with eyes obscured completely by bangs. He had his arms round Subaru's waist and was gently lifting him from his seat. Her heart jolted and sped up a few notches. She swallowed a lump in her throat and scampered over to them.

"Hey!" she said, staring up at the older boy and sounding much braver than she actually felt. "You give back Subaru right now!"

The boy chuckled before looking at Subaru and ruffling his hair.

"This must be the sister you were talking about, huh?"

Subaru blushed and nodded hastily.

"Yes," he said softly. "That's Hokuto-chan."

"Hokuto-chan, huh? But what about you?" the older boy asked, bringing him close enough to his face so he could rub their noses together affectionately. "What is your name?"

Though she was little and very short, the sight made Hokuto vaguely angry – angry enough to kick the older boy in the shin with all the strength she could muster. The force didn't faze the boy – he merely flicked glinting gold eyes at her amusedly before returning his attention to her brother.

"Me?" Subaru was squeaking. "My name is S-Subaru."

"Subaru-kun," the older boy said thoughtfully. "How very lovely."

The way his voice sounded and the way his eyes roamed Subaru's face implied very obviously that he wasn't merely talking about the name. Hokuto wanted to get Subaru away from the shadowy boy as soon as possible.

"Subaru, let's go!" she whined, trying to communicate that it was time to leave this new, high school boy. "There's still so much that I want to do here!"

But he was entranced by the cobra dancing in front of him.

Finally, after what seemed like a millennium, the boy was setting Subaru safely back on the ground. She rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck, yanking him toward her in one painful motion. She nearly knocked the jeweled crown she had made especially for him from his head. For the trip to the carnival, she had made them beautiful, matching, pink and blue costumes. He was a prince; she was a princess. She glared at the older boy and hugged Subaru even tighter.

"Come on, Subaru. Let's go where I wanna go."

He chuckled softly at her possessiveness.

"I'm okay, Hokuto-chan." He waved goodbye shyly to the tall boy as Hokuto began dragging him away.

Once they were a safe distance away, passing all the popcorn and cotton candy carts, she leaned close to him to whisper in his ear.

"I didn't like him."

Subaru flushed slightly, his eyes lighting up in remembrance of the boy. He cast a timid look over his shoulder, as if expecting to see the boy there.

"I – I kind of liked – well – I thought he was n-nice…"

Hokuto put her hands on her hips.

"Subaru, come on! What kind of man like that is creepily interested in an eight-year-old like you? I bet he's a kidnapper. That kind that writes ransom notes for millions and trillions of money. Oh, or maybe he's a slave trader, wanting to capture the two most beautiful little kids here – that'd be us – and sell them!"

"Hokuto-chan – "

"Shh!" She grabbed hold of his wrist fearfully, pulling him suddenly and harshly through the throng of onlookers. They crawled through the legs of a clown who was handing out balloons and she had to yank extra hard on Subaru's hand to keep him moving.

"Hokuto-chan, why can't we stop? He has gold balloons!"

"Gold? Why gold?" she snapped. "Why not get a nice green like your own eyes? Like _our_ eyes? I think they're lovely enough." She scowled, casting a glance around moodily. "That doesn't matter anyway. We've got to keep moving."

Subaru was suddenly aware of her frantic attitude.

"What's wrong?" he asked timidly, threading his warm fingers through her clammy ones.

"We're being followed," she hissed. "Now hold tight. I don't want to lose you."

Together, they ran through the shadows, in the areas not lit by lanterns, between tents and out-of-order rides. They ran past contortionists and sadly-painted mimes, past children with sparklers and flying fish flags. A few times, Subaru's fingers slipped from hers and she had to fumble to find him again. The arrived in front of one of the various attraction tents and she stopped to catch her breath. She turned to Subaru.

"I think we lost him," she panted, smiling.

But Subaru wasn't looking at her. He was grinning up at someone. That someone knelt in front of him, mouth curving enthusiastically back.

"Hello again, lovely little Subaru-kun," he sang happily, offering a huge wad of colorful cotton candy to the younger boy. Subaru took it politely, eyes shining with appreciation.

The boy then offered her a cone of the sweet substance, but she wrinkled her nose.

"Why did you buy three?" she asked suspiciously. "Were you planning on meeting us again?"

He looked at her coolly, his gold eyes glittering dangerously in the dim lantern light.

"I must confess," he laughed, showing a perfect set of impossibly white teeth, "I'm a bit of a sweet tooth. I usually eat about four of these things. But since I really need to eat healthier and since I just happened to run into the two of you again, I thought it would be both kind and wise to offer that which I really do not need."

She scowled.

"Hokuto-chan, it's polite to accept gifts," Subaru said timidly, evidently embarrassed at his sister's ungratefulness.

She growled at him.

"Yeah, but it's not acceptable to accept them from strangers," she snapped, "or to even talk to strangers for that matter!"

The older boy chuckled, stuffing a large helping of pink cotton candy into his mouth.

"But I'm no stranger," he insisted, kneeling down to eye level with Subaru. "Subaru-kun and I are friends, right?"

Momentarily, Subaru wore a confounded expression on his face. But it melted away in the face of Seishiro's blinding and contagious grin like ice misplaced in hot tea. He nodded uncertainly, his own timid smile creasing the corners of his childish lips.

"There," the older boy said, laughter ringing in his voice. "A gorgeous smile on an exquisite face."

Hokuto wondered, briefly, why Seishiro was lavishing such praise on Subaru's appearance. Most people flipped out over their similarities and praised them both. But this boy was fixated on only Subaru. It was slightly creepy and definitely unnerving. She found another frown marring her face as said boy lifted Subaru in his arms.

"Well, Subaru-kun, shall we go in there?" he asked playfully, pointing at the tent they were standing in front of.

"The House of Mirrors?" Subaru read slowly, knitting his brows together. "What's that?"

"I don't know," the older boy said, shrugging. "Bet it has something to do with mirrors. Why don't we find out?"

Hokuto didn't want to go into the tent. The sense of darkness that surrounded it alarmed her senses. She was about to voice her concerns when Subaru answered the older boy jubilantly.

"Okay, Seishiro-san!" he said brightly, looping his arms securely around the boy's neck. His fingers, sticky with cotton candy, stuck messily to Seishiro's skin.

Ignoring her, the older boy disappeared into the entrance, guiding Subaru into shadows. Hokuto was perplexed.

"Seishiro?" she wondered. "Is that his name? When did Subaru ask – ?"

"Hokuto-chaaan!" she heard her brother call from the darkness. "Are you coming?"

She huffed and traipsed inside, nearly stumbling when the pointy heel of her shoe sunk in an area of wet dirt.

"Wait up!"

Inside was a whole other world. Her first impression was that of a huge, reflective lake. There were little lanterns hung high on the ceiling, giving little to almost no light. She treaded lightly, slightly frightened by the confusing walls. It would be easy to get lost in here.

"Subaru?" she called suddenly. "Subaru!" Her voice was rising in pitch. She spun around, glancing in every direction. For a moment, she saw a face just like hers. _Subaru_, she was about to cry, but then she noticed he was wearing a pink princess dress identical to hers. Not Subaru, then. Just Hokuto. Her own reflection. She saw millions of other Hokutos of all shapes and sizes.

"Hokuto-chan!" she head an excited voice yell. "Come over here!"

"Subaru?" she called loudly, fidgeting like a lost puppy. "Where are you? Keep talking!"

"Over here!"

She finally came to an area that had at least a mildly sufficient amount of light. Standing there, before two very different mirrors were her Subaru and the boy he had called Seishiro.

"Look, Hokuto-chan!" Subaru exclaimed adorably, gesturing to the mirrors. "I'm taller than Seishiro-san!"

Hokuto squinted. The mirror Seishiro was in front of made him look very short and fat; it squashed up his image. She laughed aloud in a very rude way. Subaru's mirror had the opposite effect, shaping his image into a tall, skinny noodle. The whole thing was rather ridiculous – both boys grinning like it was some sort of magic. She huffed and crossed her arms, shaking her head in shame.

"You're both silly. I just wanna get out of this place." In truth, she was pouting because she wanted Subaru all to herself. He was her twin, not Seishiro's.

"All right," Seishiro said, enigmatically, crouching down beside Subaru once more. "What do you think, Subaru-kun? Shall we all play a game?"

These words alerted Hokuto more than anything else he had said thus far. In her heart, she knew that a game with this boy promised no good ending. Before she could vehemently disagree, Subaru had expressed his buoyant optimism about the idea.

"Okay," he said shyly.

Seishiro looked like a very satisfied feline after a full meal.

"All right. Since this is a maze of mirrors, we'll split out and see who manages to get out first."

"No way," Hokuto broke in. "Subaru always gets lost. He'll get lost and cry."

Seishiro looked at her in bewilderment, Subaru in injury.

"If you get lost, I'll come back for you," Seishiro said seriously to Subaru, raising the boy's tiny hands to his lips for a soft kiss on his bare flesh..

Subaru blushed and nodded quickly.

Seishiro got to his feet.

"I'll go this direction, and you go that direction," he said happily to Subaru. "I'll see you at the exit. Let's see if we can beat Hokuto-chan!"

"Wait!" Hoktuo called. They were disappearing away from her so quickly! It was ridiculous in her opinion. She didn't want to split up in a place like this. It would take potentially hours to get out, and even when she did get out, she knew she would probably have to reenter to locate her poor brother.

"Subaru? Seishiro?"

No answer.

She made an irritated noise and started off in a random direction. The place now looked oddly like a palace of ice. Thinking such a thing suddenly made the air seem colder – less inviting than before. She rubbed at the gooseflesh on her arms. She'd show them. She'd get out before they even had a chance to get their bearings straight. Stomping, she lost her sense when she walked headlong into a mirror.

"Ouch!" she cried, rubbing the newly-swollen spot on her forehead. She sat up to stare at her reflection in the mirror. It was cracked where she had smashed into it, making her reflection distorted and ugly. She crawled to the side, to a mirror that looked amazingly normal, not bent and ludicrous like the others. She saw her image.

She blinked.

She was older.

"What?" she whispered shakily.

Maybe this mirror wasn't so normal after all. In it, she was a teenage girl, more than just a few years older. She was afraid suddenly. She strained her ears for any sound of Subaru or Seishiro, but she could hear nothing. Not even the pitter-patter of Subaru's quick footsteps.

"Subaru," she said to the empty space, aware of how pitiful her voice sounded. Weakly, she got to her feet. Without knowing why, she broke into a sprint, running wildly in the first direction she turned toward. She ran into a few more mirrors, frantically groping in the unlit spots till she found a space to run in. As she traveled through one dark tunnel, she felt her body change. She was growing longer, growing taller. Her princess outfit grew with her as if by magic or dream. She was…remembering herself. It was all rushing back into her find as if what had come before had been one long, confused dream.

And then she was out. She had run under the exit, out into cool night air. Standing before her was Seishiro. The older, twenty-five-year-old Seishiro. The Seishiro she remembered.

"Sei-chan," she said, her voice a little more mature than it had sounded mere minutes ago. "Where's…where's Subaru?"

Seishiro smiled. "You got out quickly, Hokuto-chan. Let's give him a chance to find his way out. Five more minutes, and then we'll go and get him."

Hoktuo was disoriented. What was going on? She was eight one minute and sixteen the next, complete with a whole new stream of memories. She didn't want to wait for Subaru. She wanted to go get him now, and she told Seishiro so. But he just smiled that irritatingly fake smile of his and cooed at her to wait patiently. And, no damn it, she wasn't going to wait because she had a terrible feeling that Subaru was lost or terrified or worse.

He told her she was being silly, though, but then his eyes widened just the slightest bit, and she knew that he felt that something was wrong too.

Then there was the horrifying sound of glass breaking and falling heavily to the ground. The shrill breaking was piercing to her ears. She could hear the tinkling of what had to be billions of shards hitting the ground. Seishiro went immediately, leaping back through the exit, breathing strangely ragged. She had a hard time keeping up with him, even though her legs were longer now. She followed the line of his back, wondering how it was that he seemed to know exactly where to go.

They came upon Subaru, who was now dressed to perfection in his traditional crisp-white Sumeragi shikufu. Like them, he had returned to his true self, to his sixteen-year-old body. His eyes were wide and vacant as he faced a towering, intimidating mirror. All around, the other mirrors had shattered, leaving him in a field of glass.

She tried to shove Seishiro forward, but something unseen and impenetrably strong was blocking access to the third party of their group.

"Subaru!" Hokuto called out desperately, but he did not – could not – hear her. His gaze was fixed on the mirror, hand coming up to touch whatever it was that was on the other side. "Subaru! Can't you hear your sister!"

His lips parts slightly, rapt with attention as he listened to an illusory voice.

Seishiro was pounding against the barrier, his words and attempts to break in fading from her ears as she stared hard at her brother.

Subaru's cheeks were flushed with fever and his lip was bleeding, the trail of blood flowing with an eerie contrast down his milky-white chin. The mirror before him housed some unknown form, someone Hokuto recognized but didn't recognize. For a moment, she thought it was a trick-mirror, like the one she had looked into earlier, but that person was smiling in such an insane way she knew it wasn't – couldn't be Subaru, even an older version of him. She couldn't quite make out all the details of the face and the eyes were shaded, but she knew one thing for sure…she had to get her Subaru away from it.

"Subaru! Subaru! SUBARU!"

There was something gold around her Subaru's neck, something long and gold. A necklace, she wondered? Yes, a cross on a golden chain. But why would Subaru be wearing something like that? She'd never seen him possess something of the sort. And she knew about all of his fashion accessories. She watched in silent horror, as he took hold of the cross and held it up to the mirror, the figure in the mirror holding up an identical one in mimicry. Don't, she wanted to say. Don't use that necklace.

"Wait, Subaru! I love you! Don't go!"

Subaru slumped forward tiredly, his eyelids drooping shut. His forehead sunk into the mirror. She heard Seishiro curse above her and she dropped to her knees and scratched her nails futilely against the transparent shield. Next, the figure in the mirror reached out a slender hand to wrap round the back of Subaru's neck. One of the lanterns burned a bit brighter, giving her a better view. The figure in the mirror shrunk, becoming the exact image of her Subaru. No, not exact, she realized. The Subaru in the mirror wore a mad look, and one of his eyes was amber.

The false-Subaru smiled sweetly as he pulled her Subaru further and further into his world. The golden crosses clanked together. Subaru's torso disappeared, and then his thighs, legs, and feet. Not even one geta was left behind. The two Subarus furled around each other, like two babes wound tightly against one another in a warm womb. There was a flash of light, and the invisible force that held been holding both her and Seishiro back broke.

She scrambled forward, staring in panic at the mirror.

Subaru was gone.

Both of them.

All that her eyes were left with was her own reflection. A teenage girl dressed in a pink princess outfit.

No Subaru.

Subaru was gone.

"SUBARU!"

Hokuto fell off the couch with a thump, thrashing violently against her pillows and twisting messily into the blankets she had covered herself with.

"S-Subaru!" she shrieked over and over again. "S – Subaru?" Blinking her eyes open owlishly, she gasped. It had been a dream. Of course it had been a dream, she reprimanded herself. She knew during the dream that it was only a dream.

Not that the information made it any less frightening.

She wasn't one to usually remember her dreams, she thought as she calmly disentangled her limbs from sweaty fabrics. When she did, they were usually mindless wisps – snippets of food, fashion, sometimes Subaru, and even Seishiro when Subaru was involved. They were never so vivid or threatening as the one she had just experienced.

It felt rather like a – like a warning.

She shuddered as she recalled the image of Subaru melting away into glass.

"_Subaru…"_

END THIRTEEN.

* * *

_Theme Song for This Chapter:  
"The Mystic's Dream" by Loreena McKennitt_

* * *

Unlucky number thirteen. Hello, it's been too long. This chapter kicked my tail. I had a difficult time with getting in the elements I needed so therefore, it feels stilted, but maybe that's just me. Really starting to kick in to high drive here. It seems my story is winding down paths many do not wish to follow. I shall lead all who wish to go further. If you dislike darkness, abandon your post now. 

**YaoiKitten**—You guessed rightly, my lady. There is something between them, though whether or not I completely flesh it out hangs in the balance. I may have to clip it in favor of the actual CLAMP characters. I don't want to get sidetracked and bore everyone with OCs. Still, I'll try to include bits about them for the sake of propriety…since you seem to like them at least. As for Subaru and Seishiro, both of them can be a bit…dense, don't you think? Some people never learn. But then, CLAMP is evil, so it's really not their fault, is it?

**Silvermuse89**—Why, thank you very much. I hope it continues to become better. I'm glad I have seemed to adequately approach Subaru's relationships with the ones he loves. But you can't really write Subaru without his heart (Seishiro and Hokuto). I hope I wasn't too lacking in details this time. (sweats) Oh, well—at least I got around to writing it. Thank you for volunteering to beta, and thank you for betaing some of the earlier chapters for me! Watch out, I may take advantage of you again soon.

**Tekoo**—I hope this chapter reaches you at a time other than 6am this time. In your review you wrote "gives you the eye", and that really creeped me out. I imagined you were Fuuma for a second or something. I agree that choices shape not only who we are but the future as well. Thanks for the long review, by the way. I'm glad you enjoyed the character interaction and especially S/S goodness. I crave TYOB fanart all the time. I wish someone would draw some. Maybe I'll get around to doing some someday.

**Subaru Sumeragi**—Thank you for the lovely compliments on relationships. I really love the sibling affection that exists between Subaru and Hokuto—I believe it is one of CLAMP's strongest illustrations of love to date. And yes, man-sexxors is pretty distracting. I'm glad you liked the different perspectives on the sibling relationship. You are right when you cite the differences in how the two Subarus interact with her. Ah, I loved your line about Hokuto being a relic to Kiyoshi. Very insightful and sadly, very true.

**Soulreceiver**—Okay, I won't do CPR anymore. Mwahaha. I love Seishior crumbs, they're kind of like cookie crumbs. No promises on Kanaye and Mashiro. I don't make promises because I always end up breaking them. (niko, niko) And I'm just evil like that. I haven't read FAKE yet, but now that you've mentioned that, I think I'll look into it to see. As for the ending, I might do something terrible and I might not. (snicker)

**Hellcat81**—Glad someone likes Mashiro. As far as OCs go, most seem to favor Kanaye and leave my poor little grump-grump in the corner by himself. Ryuzo's purpse was….you guessed it, to introduce the theories on time through his school work. Yes, I created him for that one tiny thing. Yes, I am insane. What other confession would you like? As for Hokuto calling herself Hokuto-chan, I read somewhere that this is equivalent to very childlike or "baby" talk in Japan. Young children might refer to themselves by name before graduating to "Watashii" or "ore" when they grow older. Correct me if I'm wrong, for I am no expert. In the English translation, in vol. 3, Hokuto says "But what do you think of Hokuto-chan's outfit? Ohohoho!" So I guess I adopted it from there, whether it is correct or incorrect.

**Moko—**Hey, I recognize your name from somewhere. Do you by chance comment on J.J. Blue's journal? Pish-tosh. You haven't the need for courage. I'm quite harmless. I think. You're not a terrible person for not encouraging me. If I got shot for every story I followed and didn't review, my body would be in shambles, not to mention dead. Ah, thanks for the lovely comments regarding the story. In this chapter, you finally found out the 'thing' the old lady had of Setsuka's. (Yay.) And Kiyoshi's confounded plans will be revealed soon. Aw, your review made me all warm and fuzzy. Mou. Now I feel like such a dork!

**Umbra**—Thank you. I'm really glad you're enjoying the story and I hope you continue to enjoy it. Hopefully, I won't disappoint you.

**ZeroZeta**—Glad you like. You don't seem speechless, so don't worry. Your encouragement is more than I deserve! (wails like a girl on her period) Glad the characters are love. I feel utterly redundant and oh-so-stupid saying the same thing over and over. Forgive me for my lack of creativity! As for what Kiyoshi wants…you are right in saying he is indecisive. Besides, desires can change. (cryptic voice)

**Sakanagi**—The details flew into my mid against my will, so it's a good thing they were good for something. Poor, poor Kiyoshi. (sighs) As for Subaru and Seishiro, maybe Subaru will find out about the "dream" being "reality". (naughty smirk) You're honest. I like that. I'm trying to balance the OCs. There are some people who are interested, and some people who want to see the TYO characters as much as possible. I shall try to precariously balance the two. (bows deeply) Well, maybe taking her for granted isn't obviously conveyed, but I do love subtlety. It's more like he always thinks she'll be there—he doesn't even think about losing her. (and why should he, really?) Thanks for the wonderful (and long) review. I feel special. (giggle)

**Hiruka-chan**—I am wrong a lot. Let me just say that, so I don't mind suggestions of any kind. You are right—it's the thoughts and circumstances that count. I'm glad you like the 'tag intros', or whatever we should call them. I'm glad you like all the little elements, though I seriously don't mean to put them in, they write themselves, I swear. Thanks for the introspective and delightful review as always!

**Ennui deMorte**—Thanks! Funny, some didn't like Kiyoshi saving the kid. Glad someone did. It's all in how you look at things, I guess. I was trying to convey a sense of life in Kiyoshi. I'm glad you saw it in this manner. (grin) Yes, Hokuto does pick up on Kiyoshi's emotions, at least on a subconscious level. You described her actions and motivations perfectly. Hokuto is a very smart girl. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Stephanie B**.—Yayness. Glad you're still with me here! Hope Hokuto holds out, wouldn't want to mess up her personality. (Tanuki is insecure underneath all that vileness.) Yeah, Subaru fainted, actually, because Tanuki was too embarrassed to persevere in writing the scene! I hope Seishiro gets a little mischievous with references, too. (snicker) Can you imagine the look on Subaru-kun's face? P.S. I'm glad your friends liked it! D

**Elf Asato**—Hey, I know you! Ryutsuki-sama, ruler of all crackdom! I'm honored to accommodate you. (bows) I'm very happy that you like my story. Means a lot coming from you, your highness. If I were Kiyoshi, I would have jumped off of Rainbow Bridge a looong time ago. I'm happy you liked character interaction (celebrates). And as for what is happening, maybe this chapter gives thee some ideas regarding the future. As for Subaru!model—braintwins!

**Yume wo Nozomu**—Mashiro+Kanaye? Whatever are you talking about? (too-innocent grin) Ryuzo is…annoying. At least, to write he is. (tilts head) Seems you're still enjoying, even though I fear you may come to hate me by the end of all this. (wails like a banshee)

**J.J. Blue**—J.J.! (tackle-glomps) Yay, I melted J.J.'s heart. (I am suffering from J.J. fic-deprivation on Livejournal, by the way.) Kiyoshi is disturbed, yep. (nods sagely) He is surprised by his looks, I suppose, because it's strange to se oneself looking so bad. Plus, he doesn't want Seishiro's eyes to die. AND he doesn't want others to notice and pry into the cause. Yay for Kanaye-love! (smiles) And yay for Hokuto-love as well! Glad the clothes come off well, it's one of my weaker areas, I think. (I'm not a fashion nut, per se.) Mashiro is hopeless, isn't he? Hokuto is the master of teasing. As for Kiyoshi, you'll see the results of overfeeding early in this chapter. (eyes sadden) I really do put him through Hell, don't I? Seishiro is a mystery, I guess we'll never know. He'd never admit to it, anyway. I can see him throwing Subaru out the window, pondering the action for a moment, and then leaping out after him! (laughs hysterically) You're so funny. Kanaye's past? Maybe we'll find out eventually. Depends on the passage of time and how well I do. Subaru wouldn't trade Hokuto for the world. And as for Seishiro, it's more like he'd trade the world FOR him. In "short", huh? J.J., you know your reviews are hardly short! (laughs) But I love you all the more for them!

Amy—Hello Amy! Don't apologize for not reviewing! Jeez, why does everybody do that? It really doesn't matter that much! I'm not going to bite you hand off or anything! (giggles) But thanks anyway. Yes! I AM alive! Amazing, ain't it? The dreams were very strange, I admit. They're chock full of symbolism because I'm just evil like that. Yes, I never go full lemon or anything. Don't want to get deleted. I may write an Annex…someday and put it somewhere allowed. Yeah, I think everyone has a wild side somewhere in their nature, even if it's hidden. Unfortunately, the epilogue may make many unhappy. But "…there is no one path that would make us all happy", right? (smiles) An author like me? I'm not professional or anything, and I can definitely improve. I think as long as you strive to improve, you'll be successful. Every mind has a story to tell, you just gotta let it out. Everyone seemed to find Kiyoshi's diminishing health frightening. … Yay! Thanks for the happy review, dear!

Love,  
Tanuki-dono

_Next Chapter: "Hello, liar."_


	15. XIV Inversion

Walking down the street – not a lantern in sight – the shadows roam unacknowledged.

**Illusory Tandem **

Kiyoshi was sweating profusely as he stalked from room to room of his apartment. Like a lost and stranded madman, he was busying his hands with whatever he happened to see – a shredded pillow, the chopsticks lying in the forgotten bowl of instant ramen, the scarcely perceptible strip of crackling paint that ran the length of the doorway to the bedroom. His restlessness had started shortly after returning from the wild conversations that had taken place in Kanaye's apartment. The theories and insinuations had unhinged some until-now dormant portion of his mind.

It was late in the afternoon before he slowed. His demented search for that intangible source of turbulence ran low on energy as the minute hand of the clock ticked into oblivion. The resounding crash brought on by the sweeping motion of his hand contacting with a ceramic mug put an immediate stop to his violent pacing. He froze and merely listened to the ragged noise of his own breathing. It was beginning to be easily discernable that he was a chronic smoker, he thought idly as he listened to his own raspy inhalations. The calm of the voice in his head was incongruous to the untamed notions running rampant in his soul.

He took a few staggering steps towards the living room and let his bones collapse tiredly onto the couch. It was a ludicrous idea, he thought. _Cancelling out_. It was entirely impossible, completely unfounded.

_But…_

Grimacing at the onslaught of a sudden headache, he sought solace by brushing his fingers against the cross pendent dangling from his necklace. There was something wrong; the knowledge lingered just barely out of reach. His subconscious strained across the distance to connect with the sakura tree. He was met with only a searing command that insisted on the necessity of energy – a phantom beauty that spoke nothing more than hunger, hunger, _hunger_.

_Cut._

He severed the connection and flopped over on his stomach, burying his face in the smooth, leather cushions. Shaking his head from side to side, he imagined that the material was rough rather than smooth and that it was scratching his face and carving bloody indentations against his skin. If only he could leap up and sprint to his old apartment. If only he could enjoy one of Hokuto's home-cooked meals again. If only he could run to…to…

_Seishirou._

In a flash, he was on his feet – white-strained hand gripping the skin surrounding his breastbone so tightly that he was sure he could tear a hole there if he pressed a little more. The same sense of urgency as before seized his limbs, carrying him recklessly out the front door and down the hallway. When he reached the elevator, he hardly had enough coordination to push the buttons. He felt the floor drop and, due to his senseless state, he wondered if all of his insides were going to come spilling out of his mouth. When he reached the main floor, he stumbled out – accidentally bumping into a few well-to-do looking citizens. They cursed him when he ignored them completely. Some muttered comments involving the word _intoxication_ under their breaths.

But Kiyoshi didn't care. He was walking. The straggling forms that hurried to and fro on the streets outside looked perversely elongated because of the lengthy shadows the setting sun was casting. Standing up straighter, Kiyoshi melded into the throng – crossing the street hurriedly. Once he got to the other side, he contemplated retracing his steps backwards…but only because the sign above him now read "Do Not Walk." The notion passed and he continued on, struggling to retain an air of composure. He had a suspicion that, despite his best efforts, he was failing miserably.

From his peripheral vision, he noticed many individuals slinking away from him as well as worried parents gathering their children closer. Again, the mutters began, sounding distinctly like the faint buzzing of summer bees in his ears. Phrases containing words like _addict_ and _druggie_ came through at barely clear intervals every once in a while. After some time, he found himself wandering in new darkness, the stars winking down at him from a light blue sky. His feet turned on a familiar gravel path, but his stomach was opposed to meeting the sakura in an illusion now.

He froze, his form shuddering in the wind. Breath hitching, he sunk to his knees, body scraping against the bushes at the edge of the walkway. He reached out, hands grasping the leaves, and yanked. He shook the green vegetation with all his might, gaining slight satisfaction as the torn leaves drifted forlornly to the ground. He couldn't seem to get enough air.

_Huff, huff._

Gasping, he ran his fingers through his hair. Suddenly, it seemed so wrong that it was cut and styled in such a manner. Suddenly, it seemed so wrong that torrents of red dye marred his strands. The name Kiyoshi sounded more jarring in his head than it ever had before. He took a deep, rattling gasp of air and rubbed the pads of his thumbs gently against his eyelids. He moaned quietly, wishing for an answer to a question he could not even comprehend.

But then an injured mewl distracted his ears. Frowning, he glanced around before pushing aside the brush nearest to the sound. Lying beneath the scraggly twigs was a small, delicate cat. It was frail, perhaps the size of a kitten. There was something, though, that caught his attention immediately – a large gash running the length of its shoulder blade all the way up to its left ear. He stared for a long moment before cautiously stretching his finger out to caress the spot from where the blood flowed. He jerked back when the matted fur shivered under his skin. The pitiable thing tilted its head and blinked tired green eyes up at him, pleading for a savior.

He was no savior.

He made ready to leave but was struck when the thing meowed in injury once more. Wincing, he tried to block the memories assaulting his mind. After a good minute of fighting his internal war, he stopped.

"You," he murmured, an unearthly light shining in his pupils as he leaned forward. He wrapped trembling hands around the slight body, ignoring its would-be protests, and pulled it to his chest. Some of the blood dribbled on his shirt, but he didn't care. It was nothing new anyway.

"You," he repeated, voice growing in intensity. A short, clipped breath of laughter escaped his lips, and he wondered why he had not thought of such a thing before.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hokuto-chan, are you all right?"

Hokuto whirled to face her door. It was not very often that Subaru visited her cluttered apartment. She was the one who crowded his space, and that was how she liked it. Her floor was scattered with fashion magazines and scraps of fabric. She turned her back on him for a moment and did a quick mental scan of the room to make sure she had not left any pincushions in the floor. When such objects were easily accessible, Subaru's feet seemed to gravitate toward them as if by magnetic force – and an injured little brother was the last thing she desired at the moment.

"Hokuto-chan?"

He definitely sounded worried now. She loosened the tight grip she had on her glass of ice water and spun to face him again, pulling desperately at her energy reserves.

"Subaru!" she greeted brightly, setting the glass down and leaping across the room to meet him. She wound her arms around his neck and cuddled his face. "Welcome back!"

Subaru pulled away from her slightly, observing her more tousled than usual hair and puffy eyes with a small frown.

"Have you been sleeping, Hokuto-chan?"

Her expression darkened considerably for a moment, but it was covered quickly by a chipper grin.

"I took a nap," she giggled. "See? See? I'm wearing these cute, brand new pajamas! I got you a pair too, Subaru!"

"It's not like you to go to bed so early," he murmured a worried crease on his forehead.

Hokuto blinked, startled by his somewhat stern tone.

"Oh, I was just tired – it's no big deal! Why are you acting all worried about me when you're the one who has such irregular habits?"

Subaru sighed, noting the stress barely hidden behind his sister's eyes. He decided not to press her about it.

"All right, Hokuto-chan," he murmured.

She clapped her hands and twirled away from him, making a beeline for the fridge. Opening the door, she snatched out two bowls of stew. The tiny cowbells on her pajamas jingled with her movements.

"I saved you some dinner so we could eat together!" she exclaimed, prancing over to the bar and setting the two containers on the countertop.

Subaru immediately looked sheepish and apologetic. Hokuto slipped on her heart design apron and tied it quickly. She flounced over to the microwave, opening it and preparing to put the stew in.

"I – ah – Hokuto-chan, I already ate," Subaru said in a rush, his face glowing red.

Hokuto froze in the act of shoving the dishes in the microwave, and for a brief second, Subaru thought he saw disappointment flicker across her face. She disguised it with a wide grin.

"Did you eat lunch today, then?"

"N-no," he stammered quietly. "Just breakfast and d-dinner."

She continued shoving both dishes in the microwave.

"Then you can eat again. I doubt you ate enough at dinner anyway!"

"But Seishirou-san made sure I ate," he protested weakly.

She blew out a breath of air, ruffling her bangs.

"Subaru!" she enunciated, rounding on him. Her glare eliminated the need for more words.

Subaru squeaked, scratching his head nervously.

"Okay," he conceded, waving his hands and smiling softly. "Since you made it, Hokuto-chan, I'm sure I'll have the appetite for it."

Hokuto grinned impishly and wrapped her arms around his neck once more. The minute her arms had surrounded him, a bizarre current flowed through her body. She did not want to let him go.

"Th-that's right," she whispered tensely, wondering when the strange strain had seeped into her voice. Suddenly, against her will, her shaking hands grasped tightly at his shoulders. Subaru seemed alarmed.

"H-Hokuto-chan?"

She crushed herself to him, the image of his form diving forward into glass playing over and over again in her mind. Chest aching, she clenched her teeth against the sobs that were bubbling up from her throat.

"Hokuto-chan!"

And then it was over; she pushed away from him and stepped back, fixing him with soft eyes. She ran her hand across her face, brushing away the salty liquid that had trickled down her cheeks. She gazed at his deep green eyes for a long moment, the reality of the present and the surrealism of the nightmare crashing together like torrential waves.

"Don't worry," she said, failing at her attempt to sound composed. She grinned too brightly and skipped back to the microwave. She withdrew the meals and set them on the countertop, whirling out two drinks from seemingly thin air. She thrust the bowl in front of Subaru. "Eat," she ordered.

Subaru obliged and took several small bites of the steaming stew. It was delicious.

"It's good, Hokuto-chan," he said adorably, eyeing the crease in her forehead apprehensively.

She stared at him unwaveringly, as if trying to decipher all his inner workings.

"Subaru," she murmured after a few minutes of silence. He looked up at her, eyes glimmering with what she suspected might be tears. "I'm not mad at you, I promise." She got to her feet and crossed the distance to him once more. Enveloping him in a gigantic hug, she whispered, "I just want you to be very careful, all right?"

He sagged against her.

"All right," he breathed.

"When you're going somewhere – from now on, I want you to come and tell me. I'll do the same. No matter what time it is, no matter who's busy with what. Promise?" she murmured, lips pressed against his silky hair.

"Yes," he whispered softly, letting his head droop to rest on her shoulder.

_I promise._

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm in love with him," Ryuzo said sullenly, staring blankly at the iron-bordered mirror across Kanaye's apartment. He was sitting cross-legged on the luxurious leopard-patterned loveseat, his hands folded in his lap.

Kanaye bristled immediately, his blond wavy hair rising much like hair on a cat's back. He looked up from his magazine to shrewdly observe his cousin.

"What do you mean?" he hissed sharply. "Who're you in love with?"

Ryuzo smirked secretively.

"With Hamada-san? " Kanaye pressed, watching suspiciously as Ryuzo shook his head negatively. "Or," here, he paused, face screwing into a nervous train wreck, "Mashiro…?"

Ryuzo stared at his older cousin for a moment, blue eyes narrowing, before bursting into a bout of uncontained laughter.

"Kanaye-chan," he chuckled. "You're deathly cute when you're worried about your lover like that."

Kanaye's jaw dropped.

"N-no way," he sputtered. "You know it's not anything like that between Mashiro and me."

Ryuzo rolled his eyes at his cousin's denial.

"I'm not in love with Mashiro-san, Kanaye-chan, so don't fret your little blond head over it." His tone held a touch of bitterness. "You don't even know the man I love."

Kanaye buried his nose behind his magazine.

"Oh, okay," he murmured, trying not to sound too relieved. "But why are we talking about this?"

"Because I just realized it," Ryuzo said sadly, running a hand through his short tawny hair. "After all this time…after running away… I just realized I'm in love with him. Isn't that funny?"

"It can take a long time to realize you're in love with someone," Kanaye said wisely, nodding his head. "Even if you've been beside that person for years – you may never know until you're apart."

"Oh? Well, you certainly sound like an expert," Ryuzo said amusedly. "I'm in love with my teacher."

Kanaye made a face.

"That's so cliché."

"No," Ryuzo pressed. "It's much worse than cliché." He adjusted the sleeve of his tee shirt and fiddled with a piece of fuzz on his jean shorts. "Most people have simple crushes. We were…intimate."

A silence fell over the room. Kanaye grew as pale as baking flour and raised a hand to his mouth in horror.

"What?" he whispered, staring at the young boy. "But…you're just fourteen years old!"

Ryuzo looked uncomfortably at the floor, his eyelashes drooping in shame.

"I know," he squeaked, for once sounding like the young boy he was. "I don't know how it happened, but…I…" he rubbed his arms sullenly, "I just…"

"Did he force himself on you?" Kanaye asked harshly, a peculiar light shining in his eyes. His knuckles were white as he gripped the arms of the chair tightly.

Ryuzo looked up in surprise, his brows knitting together.

"N-no," he whispered. "I…I let him. And then I…After it was all over, he said he loved me."

Kanaye was on his feet, and he dashed across the room to grip the other boy's collar.

"Then, were you used?" he demanded harshly.

"Back off," Ryuzo said quietly. "I already said I'm in love with him." He pulled away from the fiery-eyed blond. "It's why I ran away," he said cynically. "We slept together in his room. He said he loved me afterwards. I got scared and left, leaving behind a note that said I didn't return his feelings."

"Why?" Kanaye asked lowly.

"I wanted what was best for him," Ryuzo replied. "If anyone found out that he had slept with a student – a boy at that – he'd get fired for sure….and…well, it just wouldn't work."

Kanaye narrowed his eyes.

"Liar," he growled, glaring through a fringe of bangs. "That's just an excuse. You were a coward."

"Yes," Ryuzo admitted quietly, "I was."

"You didn't want what was best for him – not really," Kanaye's eyes were growing distant and he was beginning to tremble uncontrollably. "No one really thinks that! No one! All you really want when you love someone is to be with that person and keep them to yourself all the time with nobody getting in your way – nobody!" He had completely collapsed in on himself, arms wrapped protectively around his body. He was thrashing his head back and forth, voice catching with each movement.

Ryuzo's eyes widened.

"Kanaye!" He seized hold of his cousin's wrists and yanked him forward to stare directly into his face. All at once, Kanaye froze, staring back at him with a terrified expression. "What the Hell's the matter with you?" Ryuzo demanded, eyes boring into Kanaye's.

Kanaye turned white before averting his eyes.

"I don't know," he muttered.

Ryuzo huffed.

"Now you're mixing your own drama into this conversation…taking the focus off me. I was trying to get around to point out to you that I'm leaving. I'm going back to tell him how I feel, and I was going to tell you goodbye today."

Kanaye blinked.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes," Ryuzo huffed. "Kanaye, you have someone you love very much, don't you?"

Kanaye scowled.

"You do, don't you?" Ryuzo continued. "Well, you didn't realize you loved this person at first, did you?"

"I did," Kanaye countered. "Right away."

Ryuzo tilted his head.

"Well, maybe you did then. It can take a long time to realize you're in love with someone, you said so yourself. You can love people without acknowledging that feeling. Suppose you loved him but you weren't honest with yourself. Even the most emotional of people may not recognize their love at first." He got to his feet and walked slowly toward the door. Once he reached it, he slid his tennis shoes on his feet and laid his hand on the door.

Kanaye averted his eyes.

"Mashiro…he's the unemotional type, so it probably took him even longer to realize he loved you. You should tell him – it might help him come to realize his own feelings if he hasn't already," Ryuzo murmured softly.

"But I already told him!" Kanaye burst out, voice cracking slightly.

"What?" Ryuzo whispered in disbelief. "Then, what's the deal? Why isn't he here with you?"

Kanaye chewed on his lip nervously.

"It doesn't matter."

"Kanaye – "

"Stay out of it! It's none of your business anyway!" Kanaye shouted, face bright crimson with anger.

"Fine," Ryuzo hissed, injured. "But I'm going home. You're the older of us, but I have a feeling you're running from your problems just as I was. You need to get over whatever it is you're having such a problem with and sit down and talk to Mashiro-san. If he didn't care, why would he still be here?"

Kanaye's eyes grew wide as Ryuzo slammed the door on his way out. Bringing a hand to his face, he muffled a groan. How many times did he have to tell people? Mashiro would never love him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seishirou sauntered across the waiting room to the front door. It had been a long day and it was time to close shop. Afterwards, he planned on sinking into a blissful sleep. More and more these days, the tree was adequately energized with the slightest of work. Seishirou did not know if his chosen victims were simply more nutritious than usual or if the tree was simply lacking normal hunger pangs. Or perhaps the solution to the mystery was something else entirely. Whatever the reason, he now mostly went out for simple government assignments. Who was he to complain? It meant more rest, at least.

He could hear the distant sound of rain spattering the roof; it was probably sprinkling outside, he concluded. He pushed back one of the blinders on the window and peered out at the darkness, but the glass was slightly foggy and made it hard to see properly. He shrugged carelessly before asserting a proper grip on the open sign, determined to flip it to read "closed." He nearly stumbled backward when an unnerving face appeared right outside the window. The expression was curious and the features were slightly gaunt, but there was definite beauty in the fine lines of it. The face beheld the sign and its lovely, shapely eyebrows furrowed sadly. Before Seishirou could fully comprehend what he was doing, he had thrown open the front door and leaned out.

He came face to face with a young man he was sure he had met before but could not exactly place. The man was dressed in jeans and a black turtleneck. He was long-limbed and lean, perhaps unhealthily so, Seishirou decided. In his arms, he held a tiny black kitten.

"Come in," Seishirou said suavely, holding the door open in mimicry of a perfect gentleman. The stranger hesitated on the threshold. "Hurry, before it starts to pour outside," Seishirou advised. The man shuffled inside, where the light threw into better perspective his physical attributes.

He really was beautiful underneath all the signs of exhaustion and stress.

At least, Seishirou thought so.

"Hello," said the stranger meekly. Only one of his eyes was visible – a burning topaz color; the other was covered by long fringe. The smile plastered on his face seemed a bit strained. He held the kitten out awkwardly; the poor animal's green eyes blinked pleadingly at Seishirou.

"Ah," Seishirou murmured, scooping the kitten into his arms. "He's got a nasty cut up to his ear." He ran deft fingers over the wound, calculating the course of his veterinary actions and quickly coming to the conclusion that this kitten had a near-fatal injury. "I see. This doesn't look good, but I'll do all that I can."

The stranger stood there tensely, looking for all the world as if he were the one who needed treatment.

"You can come back here if you like," Seishirou said kindly. "Though if you don't mind me saying so, you look terribly familiar. Your name is – ?"

"Hamada Kiyoshi," supplied the young man quietly, his voice no more than a whisper. "We had lunch a while back." His expression changed again, molding itself into one of barely hidden pain.

"Ah, yes," Seishirou replied, snapping his fingers and fighting not to raise an eyebrow at the pitiful look. "I remember now – your face is hard to forget. Well, I'd better get back and try to save this little one. Though, I'm sorry to say, it doesn't look very good for him." He strode over to the window and quickly flipped the sign to where it read closed. "Last patient of the day," he murmured, gesturing for Kiyoshi to follow him.

Once Seishirou had gotten settled and given the kitten a sedative to calm it, he began cleaning the wound. It was terribly infected, with pockets of pus and dirt encased within. The cut was deep and ran from the kitten's shoulder blade to the top of its left ear. It had already lost too much blood. Nevertheless, he did the job thoroughly, cleaning and disinfecting what he could before stitching the dermal layer shut.

All the while, he could feel Kiyoshi's eyes drilling into his back. He snuck a peek at the man by holding one of his shinier instruments in such a way that it acted as a rear-view mirror. Kiyoshi's visible eye was unblinking. Seishirou thought it was a wonder it had not dried up completely. He could feel the other's eyes following each of his careful movements. Seishirou felt a chill travel down his spine; the stranger's heavy gaze was somehow…bothersome.

In an uncharacteristic display of clumsiness, Seishirou rested his hand on the edge of the silver tray that held his tools, the action flipping it catapult style and sending a variety of surgical blades tumbling to the floor. He blinked in surprise before fumbling to pick them up. The young man also stooped to gather the tools, and, to Seishirou's amusement, their hands met as they both reached for a particular scalpel. Seishirou's gloved hand completely covered the pale one of the other. At the man's blush, he could not resist the urge to give the fingers under his a little squeeze.

Kiyoshi gave a startled yelp, and his eyes flew to meet Seishirou's, amber burning into amber. Seishirou felt an odd warping of the air, and his skin tingled in a most disturbing manner. Seishirou quickly removed his hand and scooped up the remainder of the tools, depositing them messily on the counter.

"Thank you," he said, his voice much calmer than his instincts, which were in turmoil.

Kiyoshi had a peculiar expression on his face – his lips were trembling just slightly – and Seishirou had to resist the urge to reach out and run a finger across them. Seishirou shook his head and focused his attention on the kitten, secretly perturbed by the bizarre currents running through his limbs. Peripherally, he saw Kiyoshi walk around the counter to where he was directly across from him. Seishirou glanced up, shooting the other an empty smile, and continued to wipe a cloth over the matted blood of the animal's fur. Leisurely, with his other hand, he deposited the scattered surgical tools in a small bowl. They would need to be sterilized later.

Kiyoshi leaned forward, gaze lingering on the animal critically. Seishirou stared at his lips as they formed words.

"It's dead."

"Mm?" Seishirou murmured dumbly, blinking as he quickly checked the animal's vital signs. Evidently, the cat was no longer breathing. It had lost too much blood after all. He ran elegant hands over its fur. He painted a look of pity and concern over his features. "I'm dreadfully sorry about your pet, S – " Seishirou stopped abruptly, mouth twitching at his near-mistake. That was odd. Why would he almost call this man with golden eyes Subaru? Disgruntled, he shifted his shoulders and tried again, dismissing the wide-eyed stare the man was fixing him with. "I couldn't save your cat, Kiyoshi-san."

Kiyoshi gazed at him fixedly, tongue darting out to wipe across his full lower lip.

"It wasn't my cat," he murmured, eye reflecting twin pinpoints of light from the ceiling. "I found it in the park under a bush."

Seishirou was taken aback.

"Is that so?" he asked darkly, drinking in the strangely familiar features.

Kiyoshi bowed his head, bangs swishing with his movement to where Seishirou could just barely glimpse the lashes of his other eye. The racket of torrential rain outside was scattering background noise everywhere. Seishirou wet his lips, not fully aware of his body as his hand shot out uncontrollably, gripping Kiyoshi's bangs. He yanked the man's head forward, pulling the bangs back at an awkward angle. His breath caught as the gaze of the previously hidden eye focused on him.

Green.

A bit dull, perhaps, but still green. A green like no other.

His grip loosened, the bits of soft, straight hair falling away from his fingers like fine sand. Kiyoshi jerked away, nearly tripping in his attempt to backpedal.

There was a poignant silence in the air – an unspoken secret. There was a crackled whisper of "Seishirou-san" before the sound of running feet filled the room. Seishirou's wit returned instantly, and he followed after the slim man, reaching for and gripping his wrist tightly before he could depart out the front door.

"You mustn't go out in this rain," Seishirou protested kindly, as if the past few moments had not occurred. "You'll catch your death."

Kiyoshi froze, a strangled noise escaping his throat. Painstakingly, he turned until he was facing Seishirou, his body mere inches from the taller man's chest. Both of his eyes were visible due to the flurried state of his bangs. Green and gold melted together in Seishirou's vision. There was a wild glimmer in Kiyoshi's eyes, his fiery gaze smoldering with the fire equivalent to a million suns.

The flow of time began to pass more slowly, like hot molasses dripping from a ladle. Kiyoshi stood on tiptoe, his face coming closer and closer until it was all Seishirou knew. Then, his warm lips pressed against Seishirou's – sensual and bitter and warm. Seishirou's eyes had fluttered closed as if in some half-dream, half-nightmare.

Then, there was nothing.

He opened his eyes to an open door – a blank space of sidewalk. There was rain pounding the ground and obscuring the scene across the threshold, but Kiyoshi was nowhere to be found.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There was a sharp sting near his spine, like a long nail pushing slowly past each layer of skin. Immediately, he felt his body sag with lethargy, eyes drooping so that they were only half-open. The burning pain in his shoulders and neck ebbed away like ice dissipating in hot water. Oh, and hands – such lovely, comforting hands – were massaging him over and over, elegant fingers rubbing small circles in all the right places. He moaned softly, peeking above to find the most heartwarming face he could imagine leaning over him.

"Seishirou-san," he thought fuzzily, his mind hovering on the edge of slumber.

Seishirou's hands were doing something to his shoulder, but Subaru was numb to the pain. He mewled as Seishirou scratched underneath his chin, rubbing his thumb along the expanse of his neck. Seishirou was holding something, he noted dimly – some kind of instrument. It looked rather like a needle and thread, but it was much more professional looking than with what Hokuto used to sew clothes.

The fingers continued to work fastidiously at his body, and then Seishirou was dabbing him with a warm cloth, dragging the damp rag across his nose, cheeks, and wounds. He blurrily glanced around, distantly recognizing Seishirou's veterinary clinic. Then, Seishirou accidentally knocked his try off the counter, eyes opening wide in surprise.

"Silly," Subaru thought fondly, gazing at the handsome profile of the man as he turned to glance at the mess the man had gracelessly created. Seishirou crouched to pick up his tools and fell out of Subaru's line of sight. "Seishirou-san, come back," Subaru thought sleepily, attempting and failing to raise his head. "I can't see you."

Seishirou returned after a short while, devoting his attention to Subaru once more. But every now and then, he cast furtive glances to a place past Subaru, smiling brightly at something Subaru could not see. Moaning, Subaru craned his head around to see who or what the man was grinning at. It was another man, he realized with a jolt, one that was at once familiar and unfamiliar. A sensation in his stomach told him to look away from the vibrant golden eye, but he could not manage the action. His limbs were too relaxed – too relaxed to move properly. Worse, his eyes were starting to close without his permission and his breathing was slowing rapidly. Was he…dying?

The next thing he knew, he was floating mid-air, the world below a gray-colored fog. He could feel himself rising like steam.

"No," he thought frantically, "Seishirou-san!"

He struggled, fighting his way back down past the mist. When vision was clear, he glimpsed Seishirou leaning far over a cat that looked as if it had already passed on; he was gripping the other man's bangs. The other man stumbled backward with an expression of horror and promptly fled. Seishirou chased after him.

"Wait," Subaru thought, reaching after Seishirou. "No, don't chase him. Stay with me!"

His cries fell on deaf ears. He saw Seishirou run through the waiting room and grab the other man. Subaru pushed himself through the air, attempting to follow after. The sight of the pair standing at the door caused a fiery wall of jealousy to well up in his heart, and he was not sure why. He clutched at his chest with a wondering expression. Then, he saw.

Time ticked by, the second hand of the clock slowing to move at the same speed as the minute hand. Their mouths found each other. The world went silent except for the quiet moan of surprise and the petulant sucking noise caused by their wet lips. Subaru's heart caved in.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru awoke with a hoarse scream, tears leaking freely down his cheeks and to the corners of his mouth. He tasted bitter salt on his tongue. Heaving deep breaths, he stared disbelievingly at the ceiling, the image of Seishirou kissing another man burned into the back of his head.

It hurt.

It hurt so badly.

"No," his head protested, "It was only a dream – not reality."

Then, why did it hurt so much?

_Why did it matter?_

He swiped at the tears frantically before peering at the clock. It wasn't even nine o'clock yet. He shut his eyes once more, willing his mind to relax and go back to sleep. His mind didn't want to listen – it merely desired to keep flashing the image of Seishirou and that man over and over, a tortuous memory of lips meeting. He threw an arm over his eyes before sitting up, heart thumping erratically. The rain beat steadily on the roof overhead. He slid out of bed and padded silently to his closet, going through the hangers until he found his raincoat.

A short while later, he was jogging down the street, boots splashing in the puddles. It was dark out and the rain was cold, but he could not bring himself to ignore the surging insistency in his soul. The visibility was terrible; he fervently prayed he would be able to find his way. The torrential water beat against him harder and harder as time passed – the storm choosing to gain intensity rather than lose steam.

"Ah!" he cried out, shoulder colliding with someone. He fell, water splashing up his front. His knees banged against the concrete sidewalk painfully. Scrambling to his feet, he hastened to apologize to the figure he had inconvenienced. "I – I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have been running – I – !" He stopped speaking abruptly when he caught sight of the person's angry face.

Subaru could not see the stranger very well; he could only dimly make out his features and physique. The man's bangs were plastered to his face, but Subaru could still see the angry downward brows and the thin line the mouth drew.

"I'm so sorry," he ventured again, voice a near whisper.

The stranger lifted his head a bit, and Subaru caught sight of an enraged amber eye. But before he could contemplate why in the world a simple accident could inspire such hate, the stranger turned on his heel and disappeared into the night. A few minutes later, Subaru was trembling as he managed a shaky walk.

He kept trudging along until he was almost certain he had lost his way in the midst of the rapidly sinking fog. But then he vaguely recognized a familiar building through the darkness, falling rain, and mist. There was a long line shining from an open doorway.

"Seishirou-san," his mind cried desperately, halfway expecting to find the man locked in a passionate kiss with someone else. He broke into a run, feet smacking loudly against the wet ground as he neared the entrance. To his absolute astonishment, Seishirou was standing in the doorway, looking every bit as surprised to find Subaru outside his door in the pouring rain, as Subaru was to find him standing with his front door thrown open in the middle of the night.

"S-S-Seishirou…san," Subaru choked, eyes widening as he came to a stop just shy of the doorway, water still pelting his form.

Seishirou was silent, eyes glinting mysteriously in the dim light as they took in the vision of the boy wrapped in a red raincoat.

Noting Seishirou's peculiar expression and lack of verbal acknowledgement, Subaru began to reconsider his rash actions in coming to see him. Dropping his gaze to his feet, he shifted his weight back and forth nervously. Every few seconds, he glanced back up to see if perchance Seishirou's expression had softened into its usual carefree mold of hospitality. He began to shiver – the cold rainwater chilling his bones now that he was idle instead of moving. Finally, the tension began to weigh heavily upon him, the combined stress of his upsetting dream and Seishirou's indifference. Mouth working soundlessly, he fought to locate the proper words of apology – to illustrate that he knew he should not have come at so late an hour to trouble the man.

The words never came. Abandoning his preferred course of action, he made to sprint away without warning, body coiling like a compressed spring ready to flee. His face was anguished and contorted. It, among many other things, gave his plan away. When he moved to dash in the opposite direction, a steely grip wrapped about his wrist thwarted his attempt. The fingers encircling his arm tugged harshly and he found himself free of the rain. He shut his eyes tightly and took several rattling breaths. He felt a powerful arm reach around his body to slam the door closed and lock it swiftly.

Subaru didn't dare open his eyes. He felt his body being forced backward until his shoulder blades were pressed firmly against the door. He could hear, no _feel _Seishirou's ragged breathing against his jaw line. Gulping, Subaru nervously chewed on his bottom lip, wondering if it would be wise to pull away from the man whose arms he could feel bracing either side of his body. Embarrassed, Subaru felt his own pulse begin to throb more rapidly, nerves affected deeply by Seishirou's very close proximity. With a sudden movement, something moist and warm crashed into his lips. His eyes fluttered open in surprise, his stomach swirled like a whirlpool, and his knees buckled. Powerful arms were around him before he could fall.

Seishirou's lips were firmly against his, he registered after a moment of mind-numbing shock. They were sensual and sticky and warm. Subaru's eyes drooped closed gradually, mind sinking into a fuzzy state of warmth. Eventually – he had no idea how long it was – he began to feel light-headed, and it wasn't until Seishirou pulled away to breathe that he realized he needed air for himself. Gasping and quivering, he sucked in as much oxygen as his lungs would allow, sliding back against the door in dizziness. Just as he was beginning to recover, Seishirou leaned in once more. Subaru's eyes squinted open to see heavy gold irises melting with heat before his lips were captured.

Subaru's cry of "Seishirou-san" was swallowed by the man's mouth. Subaru grabbed hold of Seishirou's shirt, unconsciously squirming as close as he could manage. Seishirou's hands wandered to the small of Subaru's back, applying mild pressure as he sought more intimate closeness. Subaru's cheeks heated up exponentially, mouth opening to protest. Seishirou took swift advantage of his open lips, thrusting his tongue inside to deepen the kiss. Subaru made a tiny undecipherable noise to which Seishirou responded to with a low hum of pleasure. At last, Subaru's restraint broke, and he moaned loudly into Seishirou's mouth, arms coming up to loop around the older man's neck. Seishirou's hands slid lower, firmly grasping Subaru in such a way that he fully expected the boy to yelp and tell him to stop.

Subaru blinked dazedly as he was lifted off the ground and crushed flush against Seishirou. The sounds issuing from his mouth seemed foreign and uncontrolled, as if it wasn't really him making them.

"Sei…shi…rou…san…!" he gritted out, burying his face in the crook of the other man's neck. He felt the older man turn his face to him and nibble on the tip of his ear. Subaru shivered, beginning to better comprehend the nature of their actions.

"What is it, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou murmured, speaking for the first time. His voice held a rawer quality to it than Subaru had ever heard. It was low and hoarse and rough and smooth and soothing all at once. It was nice, Subaru decided as Seishirou dragged a wet trail over his jaw.

"A-Ah…" The phrase he had intended died on his lips.

"You're so cold, Subaru-kun," Seishirou mumbled against the skin of Subaru's neck as his fingers worked into several crevices of cloth to touch his damp skin. "Out in the rain at this time of night." His voice sounded nearly breathless, a fact Subaru found quite enthralling.

"S-sorry," Subaru whispered, gasping as Seishirou's teeth grazed a sensitive spot on his collarbone.

Seishirou hummed before sweeping Subaru into his arms and striding determinedly out of the room. Subaru made a noise of surprise and clung to Seishirou's neck, shivering nervously as the older man began ascending the stairs leading to his living quarters. After marching through two rooms and down the hallway, he finally arrived at his destination. Entering the bathroom, he gently lowered Subaru to the ground and turned to shut the door. Then, before Subaru could fully comprehend what was going on, Seishirou strode past without sparing him a glance and fiddled with the knobs in the shower until a steady spray of water sprung forth from the showerhead. He felt the muscles of his stomach clench when Seishirou started unbuttoning his raincoat.

"Seishirou-san, what are you doing?"

Seishirou smiled kindly before rubbing his face against the base of Subaru's hairline.

"Warming you up, Subaru-kun," he replied lowly, fingers working carefully to remove the drenched raincoat. Underneath the coat, Subaru was wearing a pair of paisley pajamas. "So very cute," Seishirou chuckled into Subaru's hair, as he worked to free Subaru of the sopping clothes. When he grasped the waistband of Subaru's pants, Subaru made a strangled noise before glowing very red and scrambling away.

Seishirou merely smirked and began divesting himself of his own clothes. This only added to Subaru's utter mortification.

"You need a hot shower, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, voice like silk. "And I do seem to remember promising you some time ago that we would bathe together."

Subaru curled his arms around his bare chest and tried to tear his eyes away as Seishirou continued to undress, inch by inch of golden skin coming into view as cloth fell away. It seemed only moments later that Seishirou was guiding both of them into the shower. Subaru dazedly wondered when exactly Seishirou had finished undressing him. Hazily, he felt embarrassment at being completely nude in front of Seishirou.

But the water was heavenly.

His back was to Seishirou and Seishirou's hands were on his shoulders, massaging his tense muscles soothingly. Subaru's breath was coming in short hitches, and he gasped aloud when Seishirou's elegant hands began kneading shampoo into his scalp. He held his breath until Seishirou whispered in his ear, urging him to relax. But he couldn't relax. No, not with those warm hands caressing him – now sliding down his back and lathering his sensitive skin with soap. He was pushed underneath the showerhead and he felt the soap run down his legs to wash away down the drain.

"S-Seishirou-san?" he whispered timidly after a few moments of utter silence.

"Aren't you going to wash my back, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou mumbled from a place near Subaru's ear.

Subaru's heart turned to a pounding mass of mush. Swallowing his embarrassment, he turned to face the older man, eyes taking in the broad expanse of back he was supposed to clean. Shakily, he rested a gloved hand against the smooth muscles, wishing more than anything that his hands could be bare so that he could fully feel the ripples beneath his fingertips. Licking his lips, he shyly borrowed Seishirou's bar of soap and began to work it against the man's skin. After some time, he quietly announced that he was finished, and Seishirou stepped under the water to rinse.

After he was through rinsing, Seishirou reached over and turned the knobs until the water ceased to spray.

"Time to get out," he said plainly, ushering Subaru lightly out of the shower.

Subaru, for the most part, was caught between shyness and dismay. Seishirou had seemed so passionate before; now, he was acting cheerfully nonchalant. His heart fluttered in confusion. He chewed nervously on the fingertip of his glove, tasting a combination of wet leather and tingly soapsuds. Did Seishirou regret kissing him? Perhaps Seishirou realized what a child he was… Maybe Subaru was merely dreaming and would wake any minute to find himself in his own bed.

"Your gloves are soaked." Seishirou's voice echoed loudly in the steamy room despite his gentle tone.

"Ah?" Subaru's hands were being tugged away from his mouth.

"Won't you consider removing them?" Seishirou coaxed as he wrapped a towel lovingly around Subaru's waist.

Subaru chewed his bottom lip uncertainly.

"I'll hang them to dry and you can put them back on in the morning," Seishirou pressed sweetly, looping his arms around Subaru from behind. He grasped Subaru's hands in his and pressed them one by one to his lips.

"Tomorrow…" Subaru sighed, as he took a huge gulp of air and mumbled a spell that would disarm the spell on his gloves.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subaru awoke cocooned in warmth. Snippets of black and red shadows lingered in his mind. Breathing deeply, he rested a hand over his eyes, jumping at the unexpected sensation of his bare skin against his forehead. He tried to move but found himself trapped by two viselike arms. Startled, he craned his neck around to find a sleeping Seishirou nestled against his side and halfway on top of him. Squeaking, he felt his face heat up. Forcing his heart rate to slow, he let his eyes wander about the room in search of something other than Seishirou's face to focus on. Something strange was glinting in the sparse moonlight that drifted in from the window. It was a line that sparkled, and it was hanging from a slightly open drawer of the bedside table in his line of vision.

It reminded Subaru of some far-off nightmare. Intrigued, he reached his fingers out to wrap around it. It was a gold chain. He gave the chain a slight tug and pulled the familiar necklace close. Dangling it in front of his face, he observed the ornately shaped cross that had interested him since he had set eyes upon it. Twirling it around, he pressed his lips shyly against the engraving that spelled Seishirou's name. Seized by a childish fancy, he glanced at Seishirou to make sure the man was slumbering soundly before slipping the chain around his own neck. The cross fell against the collar of his – _Seishirou's_ – pajama shirt.

He almost giggled at the giddy warmth that shot through his limbs.

Unbeknownst to Subaru, elsewhere in a damp and dark alleyway, a separate heart began to beat in synch with his own.

END CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

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Sorry this took so damn long to write. Life is stingy. I can't believe how far I've gotten on this fic. I don't want it to end. Reviews are wonderful as always. I've found the people of the X fandom to be among the most special and spectacular people anywhere.

You have my everlasting thanks,

Tanuki-dono

CLAMP owns.

Beta Reader(s): YaoiKitten, SilverMuse89

Special Thanks: FinMefiant

Note: Soon, these review replies will be moved to my livejournal. Links are on my user info page.

**Soulreceiver:** Me? A tease? Never. Where'd you get that idea? Glad you liked the chapter. I toiled long and hard over it. As for Hokuto's dream. Yeah, I'm a sucker for abstract dream sequences. My lips are sealed on the subject of foreshadowing however. Believe what you will. smile

**Angelike Riddle:** Ah. Glad it was. secretly celebrates in her little corner Brave or stupid? You decide. I know that even in the end, things will be abstract and unclear. Oh well, maybe I can confuse the Hell out of some people at least. It doesn't have to be scientifically possible, I keep telling myself - it's fanfic. 3

**tekoo:** Yay, Tohru would be so proud of me. Changing fate is a miraculous accomplishment, ne? Fanart of the two is addictive, but I do wish CLAMP had drawn more original artwork of them. weeps Meh. I love Subaru being creepy. Do you think I need to up this to R? bites fingernails nervously I love dreams, so I suppose it's no surprise they appear in my fic. I've always had extremely vivid dreams, so... Mirrors are so pretty. I think they make a particularly interesting motif here because of the mirroring persons in the fic: Seishirou and Subaru and Sakurazuka and Sumeragi Heads, Subaru and Hokuto as twins, and Kiyoshi and Subaru as two forms of the same person. As always, thank so much for reviewing!

**Moko:** Hi Moko! You're very welcome. I'm horrible to Kiyoshi, but it makes things interesting, I hope. I ould love to elaborate on the matter of your fears/predictions, but I've sworn to myself that I will keep my lips sealed and my type-happy fingers in check until I reach the very end. Thank you for the review. Continue to cheer, and we'll see what happens. 3

**Subaru Sumeragi:** Okay, so that really, _really_ called up my blushing reflex. It should be illegal to say/type such nice things. clears throat Thank you very much - that's the polite thing to say. The other part of me wants to squeeze the air out of you in a hug. I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter. smile

**Tankyasue:** Thank you very much for enjoying. Yes, I do seem to be spiraling into darker corners. 'Tis only natural, I swear. Foreshadowing was present, but I'm not telling what I plan to do quite yet. Thanks so much for citing specific instances in the fic (I love that). Regarding the end, I'm not sure how much longer it will be. It depends on how much I stretch it out. I'm guessing two to three chapters plus an epilogue, but don't hold me to it because you never know what my twisted mind will do. So happy you find me original, it's such a nicer term than "weird." Tension is fun. Thanks for reviewing.

**Umbra:** blinks Well, thank you very very much. is flattered and knows not what to say

**Fin Mefiant:** I can't even begin to express how grateful I am here, but I'm sure you know...somehow. tanuki is speechless I have vivid dreams, as I've told you before, so it's only natural I incorporate them, right? Don't worry so much about the betaing. You do such a wonderful, thorough job that I could wait forever. Thanks so very much for always encouraging me on AIM. I really have no words. 3 I hope you understand at least part of what I'm trying to convey.

**Stephanie B.:** Thanks. I'm very close to my siblings, so I'm familiar with wanting to protect them and even being jealous when they don't have time for me. Heck, my best friend was jealous of my first boyfriend, not because she had romantic feelings for either of us, but because we didn't hang out as much anymore. Jealousy is natural, especially regarding siblings I think. I totally agree with you. As for Seishirou, I'd love to know what he thinks as well. As I am fast approaching a "boiling" point so to speak, I begin to ponder more and more just exactly how he will react. Happy you enjoy the story - hope you continue to hang around till the end!

**Moshi Moshi Mai:** Thanks. It sounds like a marriage there at the beginning of chapter one, eh?

**Yume no Nozomu:** Interesting and scary. My mind creates such situations. I even scare myself. I'm not saying what's going to happen. I could change my mind about what I have planned, but I probably won't. You don't need a life, just SxS and you will be fine - a CLAMP-ate-my-brain zombie like the rest of us. Mashiro and Kanaye...have an ending, but I won't tell you what kind. Thanks for reviewing (and commenting on story aspects), my dear! (hugs)

**Feather-chan:** Thankies! Insane Subaru is someone to be pitied. But I love him so. (hugs the insane future Subaru) Glad you enjoyed the chapter. Hope you continue to stick around.

**Sakurazuka-chan:** Nah, no worries. I've been so lax on reviewing your stuff I'm ashamed of myself. Life has just been...in the way. Thanks for the compliments, Nee-san, and I hope to speak to you soon!

**ennui deMorte:** Ha, you sound like me. I think often and deeply, so I wonder if I've written about something or merely imagined it. Oh by the way, at the mention of "Subaru V.2", I saw your artwork on DeviantArt and it made me all warm and squishy inside. Just so you know. Again, I'm staying quiet on details of later chapters. Once again, thanks so so so much for the in-depth reveiw. I feel like I'm shortchanging you with so few words, but I really appreciate your support!

**YaoiKitten:** Well, since you nudged me so much I finally took advantage of your kindness...again. My soul is in all kinds of debt by now. Glad you like the original stuff. (I admit it's getting tiring to write, but I shall write it for you since I do have as much space as I want and people can skip it if they choose.) I want to go read "How to Lose Your Ears in Ten Days..."

**Elf Asato:** Hooray! I'm happy that he comes off as fascinating, the poor dear. Physics and I had a love affair last chapter, but we're not conspiring so well anymore. (sighs) Oh well. Conclusion isn't far off. bites her fingernails Seishirou's real feelings? Who knows? I'm obsessed with mirrors, I know. At least it was sensual. (Yay!) Aw, thanks Sarah! I did write more of Kiyoshi this chapter, I think. Maybe.

**Sakanagi:** Ominous is a nice thing methinks. Subaru really is cute. How can Seishirou stand not jumping him? I honestly have no idea. Because he's omg-so-cute-I-want-to-die-of-teh-cuteness when he's trying to do things for Seishirou. Kiyoshi is my pet and I am cruel to him. Mwahaha. Oh dear, I'm losing it. Thanks for reviewing!

**Teishya:** Bizarre girls write bizarre things. At least in this case, for I am certainly a bizarre person. In other news, thanks for the spiffy review. ♥ Glad the plot holds some interest. And hey, someone likes my descriptions! Yay!

**A.E.:** Here's the update. Oh, dear. Surely not! But thanks anyway. ♥

**Siren's Paene:** ...thanks. You made me blush. A lot.


	16. XV Affluence

I can feel you falling down into infinity. You're going somewhere I am not, and all I can do is stand by your side and paste on a smile of false brilliance to let you know that I'm going to be all right…even though I'm not.

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**Illusory Tandem**

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Kanaye was feeling torn as he sat upright on the barstool, doodling various mundane designs on a napkin.

_"You need to get over whatever it is you're having such a problem with and sit down and talk to Mashiro-san. If he didn't care, why would he still be here?"_

The more insistently the line echoed in his head, the harder the pressure on the napkin became. He only snapped out of his spell when he heard the distinct raking of pen against countertop. Scowling, he lifted the shredded napkin to find a series of jagged scrapes embedded in the table's design. He cursed under his breath and set the pen down.

Frowning, he mindlessly drummed his fingers against the marks. His thoughts were lost in another time – another place – another year. A younger year. He remembered school bells and lunches and, most importantly, friendship and love.

Had things really been so different five years ago? He closed his eyes and let his mind travel to school days – times when he really believed Mashiro cared for him. It was a time when Mashiro had almost seemed to love him. But it had all been a lie – his father had been paying the older boy to watch over him. Mashiro had been a hired bodyguard, and he had cared nothing for Kanaye in the end.

Everyone on campus had known of Kanaye's affection for Mashiro, and everyone had expressed wonderful wishes for a bright future. Eventually, he had gathered his strength to confess his love for the older boy. But Mashiro had been cruel – had been toying with him all along – had been ruthlessly joking about the younger boy's undaunted affection to his friends.

_"I can't return your feelings."_

That was all he said, with an irritating display of pity in his eyes. But the day after that, the whole school knew, and on top of having a broken heart, Kanaye was forced to deal with teasing and jokes and cruelty. So, naturally, he fired Mashiro. Immediately. The day after that, his mother was killed in a plane crash, and he was hit with the fact that the two people he loved most in the world were going to be nonexistent in his life. No more smiles and no more hugs, and there was never going to be a chance for real romantic kisses that _meant _something.

And then, the _night_ had happened, and he ran away forever – turning his back on his father and living on his own. His father tried to contact him non-stop with apology after apology, but thankfully, the presumptuous man had given up on the possibility of being forgiven after a year or two.

Then, Kanaye had been alone for a while, but unexpectedly, Mashiro had come back. He had come back, even though Kanaye told him he hated him, and he had not really left his side since. It was bizarre and admittedly nice, but since Mashiro still seemed to be in contact with Kanaye's father on a regular basis, Kanaye never could find it in himself to completely trust his claim that he was not being paid for staying close to him. And yet, despite his suspicions, he still wanted Mashiro by his side. Whatever job he took, whatever new idea he had – the Yoshioka Modeling Agency project for instance – he always wanted Mashiro with him. It was as though the older man had become his security blanket, as ridiculous as the notion was to attach to another human being.

Kanaye slumped in his seat. But it would never be all right. He would never find the courage to talk to Mashiro about love again – not after what had happened the first time.

_You need to get over whatever it is you're having such a problem with…_

The problem was…not Mashiro. Not really. Kanaye leaned over and covered his face with his hands. The problem was his father – Yoshido Shigure. He swallowed, mind aflame with wildness. Maybe it was time he confronted the man. Maybe it was time to talk about it. After he worked through those issues, maybe – just maybe – he would be able to talk to Mashiro about…everything. As things stood now, Mashiro would undoubtedly make his routine visit in a few hours, but Kanaye had already decided that he would be gone before the other arrived. He picked up his pen and grabbed a new napkin.

"I never told him about it," he whispered, scribbling out the details of his most haunting memory on napkin after napkin. "He'll read this, and then when I get back, we'll talk about it. Yeah." Standing, he left the napkins strewn messily on the countertop and walked over to the phone.

Shakily, he dialed his father's number.

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Kiyoshi awoke groggily, the sunlight leaping down through bare branches to slice at his eyelids. He moaned and rolled over, throwing his arms over his head in utter misery. He wanted to claw through his skull to get at the insane center that caused him to think – no…he wanted to tear out that area that contained his pitiful and very human heart. The mere memory of the events of the previous night was too painful to acknowledge.

He had fallen asleep in the park again, though this time unshielded from the rain. His coat clung to his frame and he peeled himself from the wooden bench that had served as his bed. The path under his feet was still moist, and his boots sunk slightly in the mud. Strangely, his shoes felt a bit big for his feet – the rain had most likely expanded their boundaries. He took a few unsteady steps, feeling his balance sway terribly as he did so. Within a minute, he had tripped – all clumsy limbs and no grace – to sprawl belly-down on the wet green ground off to the side of the road.

A passerby stopped in his tracks, staring at the white-skinned, shivering form in the vibrant grass. He curled his newspaper under his arm and stepped forward. He was a doctor after all, and it was the least he could do to check on this unfortunate person.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly, leaning over the trembling figure.

The doctor was unable to shake the feeling that the person was familiar, and that he should recognize him. The revelation lingered barely out of mind, and he recalled pale hospital sheets wrapping around a crumpled figure. Perhaps this was a patient of past days, he speculated – a patient that obviously was still in need of some form of treatment.

He reached out to grip the shoulder of the person, but said person thrashed around and skittered a couple of feet away before he could make contact. When the soaked boy in baggy black clothes turned to face him, their eyes met for a brief second – then, he was gone. The doctor wasn't sure how he had disappeared so quickly or so silently, but he was terribly worried. He _had _treated him before, after an outrageous fall from a building – Sumeragi Subaru.

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Subaru rolled onto his side and stretched, a few joints clicking as he did so. He yawned before snuggling back into the source of warmth, tucking his ice-cold hands against a broad chest. He was trembling – there were a million cold needles shooting through his bloodstream. He had no idea why. Clenching his teeth together, he fought against the chills that racked his body. He wrapped his arms firmly around a warm body and tangled his legs with those that belonged to another. Against his will, a small whimper escaped his throat.

The response to this sound was a low groan and then shifting. He blushed as he realized that the body he was intimately wrapped around was moving; he could feel muscles tensing and relaxing against him. An arm looped around his back while the other slid down to caress his hip through his pajama bottoms. Subaru's breath caught in his throat.

"_Seishirou…san…!"_

All at once, a myriad of events ran backwards in his head – the release of the memories like floodwater breaking through a dam. His face heated up exponentially, and he absently brought his frigid hands to his cheeks to cool the feverish flesh. He let out a small surprised noise at the wrongness of the feel of his palms contacting his cheeks. Wildly, he glanced around for his gloves, unable to quell the rising panic he felt at being bereft of them.

He wondered, dimly, how he could have done such a thing – with a man nonetheless! Shameful, sinful – all sorts of words crept into his mind, all spoken by a part of his mind that sounded exactly like his grandmother. He turned his gaze to Seishirou and was surprised to find the man fast asleep. Previous thoughts of gloves and hands and danger evaporated as he focused on the older man's gentle breathing. Eyes glowing curiously, he stretched out his fingers and brushed them just barely over the other's lips.

Last night had been so strange. His stomach muscles clenched when he remembered some of the more specific details. He was caught between too many feelings – among them fear, shame, and an unidentified fluttering in his chest. Resting his fingertips against Seishirou's cheek, he smiled when the man twitched with discomfort. His fingers really _were_ cold, but not cold enough to wake him it seemed. Seishirou didn't look particularly vulnerable in his sleep nor did he carry the image of an angel, a phrase many attached to sleeping loved ones – in fact, his expression seemed quite grumpy. His eyebrows were scrunched slightly and his mouth, although drawn in a relatively straight line, had a vague pout. It was childish, Subaru decided, running one finger across the bridge of the man's nose, but still cute. He smiled secretively, putting off the feelings of guilt for a little while as he watched Seishirou sleep.

It didn't get old. In fact, Subaru was startled to discover that he wouldn't mind staring at him all day. He curled up in Seishirou's arms and curled his cold toes between the older man's warm calves. Closing his eyes, he released a puff of air that resembled a sigh and relaxed. His shivering didn't stop completely, despite the fuzzy feeling that had washed over his entire body. Delicately, he ran his tongue back and forth over what he discovered were his very swollen lips. It had been too long since he had enjoyed the warmth of another. When he and Hokuto had been children, she would sometimes sneak into his bed to cuddle, but as time had gone on, they had gradually branched off from one another to enjoy more privacy – separate rooms, separate apartments.

"Hokuto-chan…" he whispered, a thought tugging at the back of his mind. He had forgotten something. Something important.

_When you're going somewhere – from now on, I want you to come and tell me. I'll do the same. No matter what time it is, no matter who's busy with what. Promise?_

A strangled gasp tore from his throat at the memory.

_Promise?_

He would have bolted upright in bed, but Seishirou's arms snaked around him and held him still. Gasping, he twisted his head around, halfway expecting Seishirou to be wide awake and smirking. But Seishirou's eyes were closed, and his breathing was deep and steady. Heart throbbing insistently, he thought of Hokuto. He had made a promise to her, and now he had broken it on only the second day.

He lowered his lashes and glanced ashamedly at Seishirou. He had rushed out and ignored his promise…all to see this man – all because of a fanciful nightmare that made less sense than the previous visions he had suffered. And then they had…he reddened and shook his head. How had that happened? _Why_ had that happened? The circumstances leading to the bedroom were a blur. Subaru remembered being in the pounding rain, and he remembered Seishirou pulling him inside and…kissing him and touching him. He had liked it, he admitted to himself. It had been enthralling and frightening and unlike anything else he had ever experienced in his sixteen years of living. Seishirou had carried him upstairs to the shower after that, and clothes had disappeared and gloves had been discarded like trash, and then Seishirou had carried him to the bed and – and…things had progressed quite quickly. Subaru was torn between being horrified and ecstatic. Wrenching himself from Seishirou's grip, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

He had to go home. He had to get there before Hokuto noticed his absence, otherwise explanations would be tedious. A million jittering nerves danced in his body as he imagined what it might be like to attempt to excuse his behavior. And Hokuto knew he had not gone out on a job; even if he tried to lie, a quick call to the Sumeragi house could inform her of any business-related things he had been involved in. He swallowed loudly and stood up…only to flop right back down on the edge of the bed, causing the springs to creak loudly. Nervously, he glanced back at Seishirou, expecting the man to pop up and wrap him in a prison of arms. But thankfully he didn't. He remained in a deep sleep. Subaru clenched his teeth and eased himself to his feet more slowly this time.

He was _sore_, he realized in mortification.

Blinking back tears of embarrassment, he made his way to the doorway of the bathroom and scooped up his discarded raincoat. Buttoning it firmly over his sparse form, he let his mind wander to the feel of Seishirou's lips against his neck. Dazedly, he pulled on his boots. He heard the springs of the bed shift and he got nervous, but the silence returned shortly thereafter. Taking a shuddering breath to calm himself, he clumsily hurried along to make himself as presentable as possible.

He shuffled to Seishirou's bedside and glanced at the time – it was five o'clock in the morning, so surely he would make it home before Hokuto made breakfast. Hesitating, he reached out and ghosted his fingers over Seishirou's cheek. Glancing nervously from side to side – even though there was no remote possibility that anyone was watching – he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Seishirou's forehead. When he pulled away, he could feel the steam rolling off his own face in waves. Though he was embarrassed, he couldn't help but feel a surge of selfish happiness. If he could have seen himself, he would have bee surprised to see a tiny self-satisfied smile lifting the corners of his lips.

"Bye," he whispered softly, his tone filled with giddy warmth. He tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs and finally out the door. Only when he reached the street did he release the breath he was holding.

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Hokuto paced a circle around the couch for the thirteenth time since entering Subaru's apartment. Restlessly, she continued her pacing back into the kitchen where she checked on the vegetables she was cooking for breakfast. Distractedly pulling a glass out of the cupboard, she clucked her tongue. She turned the tap on and filled the glass with water. Bringing the edge to her lips, she let the liquid trickle down her throat that was tight with worry that felt like tears.

"Where is he?" she asked aloud for the one hundred and seventh time. She knew she was being paranoid. She knew she was being unreasonable.

_Clink_ – the glass broke as she set it down. _Chink_ – reminded her of the sound of breaking mirrors. _Clink_ – a dream of another Subaru clawing his way out of a mirror and snatching her Subaru and pulling him inside. _Clink_ – her blood ran down her hand.

She cursed. Throwing the remnants of glass in the sink and not bothering to clean up the small puddle she had made on the countertop, she tended to the small cut she had made on her ring finger, seeking bandages from the bathroom. The vegetables were left untended, and they promptly boiled over, hot bubbles spilling unnoticed onto the floor.

She whirled into the living room after meticulously wrapping her finger. Ripping the phone from its receiver, she glared hotly at the antennae pointing from its head.

Twins.

Twins should be able to reach each other, she thought, even over long distances. She paced another circle around the couch – the fourteenth journey of the morning – and tightly clutched the cordless phone in her hand, shooting it accusatory glances every few seconds, as though it were the source of her foul mood. A couple of times, she turned it on just to hear the annoying hum against her ear.

She thought about calling her grandmother. She thought about calling the police. She thought about a lot of things – like rushing out to look for him, or perhaps rushing out to wrestle help from Seishirou. She felt like breaking things, but since she was in Subaru's apartment rather than her own, she refrained from doing so.

"Subaru, you promised me," she breathed in a voice that spoke of both anger and concern. "You _promised_."

When she entered the kitchen, she was still lost in her thoughts, so she did not notice that the vegetables had completely boiled over until the sole of her bare foot splashed in the scalding water.

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Subaru jogged hurriedly down the street; for once, not stopping to apologize to the people he accidentally bumped into along the way. The air was humid, carrying the rancid smell of a nearby garbage dump and the natural scent of moistened earth to his nostrils. His bangs were plastered to his forehead by a mixture of nervous sweat and morning dew.

He scowled and pulled his raincoat more snugly against his body, very aware of the flimsy pajamas – Seishirou's flimsy pajamas – underneath. The fact was a reminder of the indelible actions of the previous night – actions that he was hesitant to dwell on and hesitant to truly acknowledge. Nervously, he chewed on his lip only to wince in pain at bruising that was there.

Hurriedly, he squeezed through a small crowd and nearly slipped on a slick portion of the sidewalk. A strong hand on his arm kept him from falling flat on his face. Unable to ignore expressing his gratitude for such assistance, he straightened immediately and gave a series of hasty bows, mumbling automatic words of thankfulness. Then, without so much as fully observing his rescuer, he turned to go – Hokuto's worried eyes shining like beacons in his head.

The hand clenched his arm tightly. Furrowing his brow, he turned to face the person warily. A round woman was grinning at him from beneath a mop of curls. Her fingers were painful on his arm.

"Sumeragi-kun," she chuckled, inclining her head slightly.

Subaru's eyes widened in surprise, and he scanned his brain for some memory of her. She was elderly, but there was definitive strength in her bones – that much he could ascertain from her grip. Her eyes were black and beady, and her head was a refined style of curls. She wore a classy navy kimono with an overlaid white apron. He could not recall seeing her before.

"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered, trying delicately to inch his arm from her grip. "Do I know you from somewhere?" He pasted a weak smile on his face and waited.

She growled, her face drooping to transform itself into an expression that resembled a hound. Abruptly, she took her hand from his shoulder and crossed her arms over her full bosom.

"I'm Makino," she barked, eyebrows lifting critically as she eyed his flustered and ragged state with suspicion. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of something gold and thin clasped around his pale neck, disappearing in to the red collar of his raincoat.

"M-Makino?" he murmured in confusion, eyes searching her face.

"I came to your boyfriend's place a while back," she clarified. "You know – Sakurazuka-kun's veterinary clinic?"

Subaru's eyes lit in remembrance. But then, as the rest of her words sunk in, his face quickly turned scarlet.

"He's not my…" he started. But images of Seishirou's eyes and lips and hands crept into his mind, and he couldn't find the words to finish.

"Doubtful that you'd recognize me looking so refined," Makino continued, waving a hand happily. "I usually like to go casual in one of my dresses and caps, and I usually never leave anywhere without my carpet bag. But I have a day job today – got to get a move-on to that rich old man's house. Preparations for lunch. Bah, but being a cook beats being a flower vendor, so what can I say?"

Subaru blinked at her and hesitantly met her eyes.

"Thank you for keeping me from falling," he said quietly.

"No problem," the woman chuckled, winking cheerfully. "You look really dazed and if I must say so, quite sexed up, so it was all I could do to help."

Subaru's mouth ran day and all the color in his face drained away. He shifted his eyes from side to side in panic, afraid someone might scream or point accusingly at him due to Makino's words. Turning back to her, he sputtered indignantly, his expression a blend of fury and mortification. She patted him on the head, much to his consternation.

"Now," she said lowly, voice adopting a frighteningly serious tone. She reached out with the speed of a cobra and brushed back the collar of his coat, revealing the beginnings of a gold chain. With one overgrown fingernail, she lifted the chain slightly, eyes studying it gravely.

Shocked, Subaru jerked away, unnerved that she had been able to get so close without him registering her movement. It almost hinted at…some sort of training…or at least a measure of the higher physical discipline. Instinctively, he stepped back out of her range, staring into her black eyes with distrust. If she noted his wariness, she gave no indication.

"Metals like those are troublesome," she said gravely. "The material certainly didn't come from my shop – I was only responsible for the engraving. Things like those are best left in the hands of the family they originated from – not in the hands of a boy like you, even if you are an onmyouji of the Sumeragi."

Subaru opened his mouth to say something, but shut it uncertainly – mind not quite working out what it was that she was trying to say. She snapped out of her serious mood as if she had never fallen into it then, plastering on a too-bright grin and bobbing her head in a ridiculous manner.

"Well," she said brightly. "Take care, Sumeragi-kun, and give my best to Sakurazuka-kun. I'm off to the bastard of all bastards – Yoshido Shigure-sama. But he pays me every Thursday, so what can I say? It was nice talking to you. Have a nice day, and do take a shower when you get home."

Subaru found himself nodding dumbly, automatically displaying manners in hopes that he would soon be free of her presence and free to continue on his way. Soon, Makino was fading in the distance – blending into the throng of Tokyo inhabitants.

"Oh, and you might want to put on a turtleneck," she called over her shoulder. "You're being rather obvious!"

Subaru squeaked and rapidly pulled his raincoat more securely round his neck, not daring to imagine what kind of marks she might have been referring to. He took a steadying breath, and hurried along more quickly than before, the same sense of urgency as before taking hold of him.

He arrived at a crosswalk and waited impatiently alongside the rest of the populace for the light to change. Rocking back on his heels, he tried to ignore the curious and disdainful stares weighing on him from all direction. Perhaps he had failed to make himself presentable after all. Finally, after what seemed like years, the light changed, and the people moved across like an angry storm of bees – two forces moving in opposite directions.

As he neared the other side, Subaru felt distinctly malevolent eyes burning into him, but he did not look up. The hate in the air felt too similar to the gaze he had been subjected to the night before, though he wasn't sure if the collision with the mysterious man had been fictitious or real. His face felt hot, and his heart was pounding, and the sudden fear that gripped him was enough to keep his eyes fixated on the road ahead. He finally turned to look back at the crowd when he had reached the other side, but all the faces blended together and it was impossible to tell where the furious stare had come from.

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Subaru twisted the knob of the door and opened it with care. Stepping lightly inside, he took a deep breath and discarded his boots. He hesitated with his fingers on the buttons of his raincoat, opting not to remove it until he was safely in an area where his own clothes were nearby for quick changing. Stepping further into the apartment, he was relieved by the silence within. But Hokuto would be coming soon, he reminded himself, making his way towards the bathroom. He needed to clean himself up and, above all, change out of Seishirou's pajamas. Resting his hand against the door of the bathroom, he expelled a tired sigh, almost but not quite convinced that he would wake up from this bizarre dream in a short while.

A hand clamped onto his shoulder.

"Subaru." Her voice was soft and cool.

He bit his tongue. Hard.

"Hokuto-chan." His attempt to sound glad failed spectacularly – voice stretching and shaking from previous overuse and current fear.

Her grip on him remained steadfast, and he was unaware that she was pulling him away until they reached the living room. She yanked him painfully over to the couch and pushed him down on it. Then she leaned forward, her nose brushing barely against his, and stared at him blankly – eyes betraying none of her thoughts. He swallowed audibly.

"Subaru," she whispered, voice colder than ever. "You – you…" Finally, the shield hiding her thoughts cracked, and Subaru could see the emotion in her eyes. His heart stopped beating for a moment; he hated it when she cried. He hoped she wouldn't. To his relief, she trailed off and remained quiet for a while.

Subaru wanted to say something. He wanted to hug her. Anything.

_"When you're going somewhere – from now on, I want you to come and tell me. I'll do the same. No matter what time it is, no matter who's busy with what. Promise?"_

His throat burned uncomfortably and his eyes watered under her scrutiny.

"Hokuto-chan," he whispered pitifully, not daring to reach for her.

Her eyes flared, and he shut his mouth quickly. She leaned away slightly, shrewdly letting her eyes wander over his form. He shifted uncomfortably, unconsciously clinging to his coat.

"You left," she said simply, voice showing none of the strain on her face.

"I – " he began desperately, grasping for words.

"You _left_," she enunciated, "and you didn't say a word to me."

He fell silent, the memory of the promise and the sound of his agreement echoing in his mind. He lowered his eyes ashamedly, bringing his hands together to fiddle with his fingers.

Hokuto, meanwhile, was seeing dreams on repeat in her head, and she was frightened and angry. She rarely lost control like this, but something in her chest was telling her to keep him close. And to keep him close, she forgot about delicacy. And in forgetting, all of her fears came spilling out.

"You didn't even think about me, did you?" she hissed bitterly, letting out words that should have been left dormant. "You don't ever think about me." She sliced a hand through the air, accentuating her words with motion.

Helplessly, Subaru reached for her hand and held it between his own. Two seconds passed before he gasped and let go as if he had been scalded, abandoning his plan to comfort her. He whimpered and jumped to his feet, racing towards his bedroom like a madman. She stood still for a moment, jaw hanging as if it had been unhinged.

"Your hands," she choked in disbelief, quickly taking off after him – limping on a burnt foot. "Your gloves!" she yelled, confused and emotional and imperceptibly jealous. "Why aren't you wearing them?" She was nearly screaming by now.

Subaru was cursing himself over and over again for being so careless. The subject of his gloves had crossed his mind from the moment he had awoken, and yet he had managed to forget all about them when he had dressed. His originals were probably still hanging limply on the towel rack in Seishirou's bathroom, he realized in horror. Throwing open a drawer in his room, he ripped out a pair of new gloves and shoved his hands inside, ignoring Hokuto's furious protests and demands as she entered the room. His throat was starting to close up even more, and he feared he would start crying full force at any minute.

She put her hands on his shoulders again and spun him to face her.

"What is going on?" she demanded, voice rising in pitch with each second. "Why are you always like this? You hide from me!"

Her eyes took in the state of her brother for the first time, and she admitted that she had been denying his appearance since he had arrived. His hair was a mess – sweaty and tousled. The skin that was showing was suspiciously rosy and bluish in a few places. His lips were fuller and redder than her own, even though she was wearing lipstick. Before she could stop herself, she had reached forward to rip at his raincoat, tearing open the buttons until the coat hung wide open.

Subaru let out a cry and closed it, but it was too late.

She had seen. She had seen the trail of bite marks decorating the column of his throat and disappearing into the fabric near his collarbone. She had seen the terribly oversized pajamas, rolled up at the sleeves, drawstring pulled so tight that the cords hung past his knees. She staggered backwards at the sight, knees nearly losing strength.

"_Subaru_," she whispered hauntingly, an accusatory note in her voice.

He wrapped his arms around himself protectively, and hurt was in his eyes more than shame. Mind spiraling dangerously, he stared at her, watching sullenly as she painstakingly pieced the puzzle together. Blanching at the sight of her trembling shoulders, he tried to conjure magic words in his mind – words that would make his sins disappear and her smile resurface.

Hokuto moved forward. Her chest was aching and burning and flaming. Her dream came back in great chunks – images of a young Seishirou lifting a younger Subaru upon his shoulders and paying no attention to her – images of mirrors grotesquely morphing their bodies into monsters – a wicked Subaru with one golden eye pulling her Subaru inside and never letting him out again – Subaru looking only at Seishirou, wanting to be with him all the time and ignoring her presence.

_Slap._

Subaru's face flew back at an awkward angle, a fiery red handprint showing up immediately on his left cheek. His eyes were wide and disbelieving – teeth clenched in effort to hold back a sob. The skin stung, but his chest was worse – tight and unable to beat. After a long moment of silence, he turned tearful eyes to his twin.

Her eyes were wild.

_You never think about your own safety or how much you mean to us._

The unspoken statement hung between them.

"Sometimes, I wonder if you're even _human_," she whispered.

Subaru took one rattling breath, wrapped his coat around himself, and fled the room – feet pounding hard against the floor until he reached the door, threw on his shoes, and disappeared the way he had come.

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Seishirou awoke with his arm thrown out to the side, groping for something out of sight. He yawned and frowned when he realized he was still feeling around his bed for another body.

_A dream?_

He sat upright in bed, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms. Grinning lasciviously, he chuckled. A very good dream. He glanced at the clock and raised an eyebrow. After nine o' clock – certainly later than he usually awoke. Drowsily, he kicked off the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He got to his feet and stumbled – gracefully, mind you – towards the bathroom. The door was open and the tile-lined floor inside was cold against his bare feet. When he reached up to divest himself of his shirt, he found that it was missing. In fact, he realized, he was completely naked. He quirked a brow. Very interesting indeed.

He showered cold and was feeling more than awake by the time he finished. When he stepped out and grabbed a towel from the rack to dry himself off, he was surprised when something small and black fell to the floor. Snatching it up for closer inspection, he was more than a little surprised to find that it was a glove…one much too small to be his own.

"Subaru-kun," he murmured aloud, finding the match still dangling over the towel rack. An image of a deliciously naked boy flashed through his mind and the corners of his lips tugged into a very wicked smile. Not a dream, then. The memories were clear now.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Kanaye felt awkward and small as he walked through the gallant hallways of the place he has once known as home. It was one of the older houses of the district, and it retained some of the traditional fashion of a Japanese mansion. Yet, there were modern touches as well – state-of-the-art technology that refused to blend in properly with the rice-screen and wooden décor.

The pictures he passed did nothing to quell his nervousness. The once-upon-a-time story of a perfectly happy family mocked him from thirty-five millimeter film. His father's face had been reverent back then, not to mention much younger looking. And his mother had been alive, her lovely face in the photograph outshining even the shadows that licked at the paper. Despite the fact that their features were similar, Kanaye thought his own face was a poor imitation of his mother's.

At last, he arrived at the dining room. Hesitating at the threshold, he almost reconsidered his decision to face his father. But his hand slid the door open, acting on the will of his heart. A man was seated at the table, staring intently at him. This was the elegant businessman with slicked hair and polished shoes – this was the powerful man half of Japan was afraid to cross. This was the man Kanaye had spent the last few years desperately hating. Grudgingly, he settled himself on the cushion across from him, sitting upright and proper as he had been taught long ago. He looked straight into those gray, unsettling eyes.

He bowed his head after a while, staring at the polished floor. No words were exchanged for a while.

"Kanaye," his father finally began, breaking the silence like a gunshot. "Good day."

Kanaye chewed on his lip.

"Good day," he replied, shifting restlessly on his cushion. He began slowly, trying to quell his inner anger as he broached the topic, "I've been wanting to talk with you."

His father's jaw clenched, a flare of hope sneaking into his eyes.

"But I still hate you," Kanaye declared venomously, voice low and eyes dark. He had seen the hope seep into the man's eyes – seen it and wanted to crush it immediately.

His father, Shigure, nodded silently.

"Let us, at least, eat this lunch in peace," he begged. "I haven't seen you in so long, Kanaye."

Kanaye sniffed defiantly. All plans of being the perfectly composed son had flown out the window the moment he locked eyes with the man.

"I'm here," he breathed in a poor attempt to be controlled, "to settle things."

The man narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"What things?"

"Mashiro. I want you to stop using him as your lapdog," Kanaye bit out, raw emotion seeping into his words.

The man looked utterly surprised at the accusation.

"Kanaye, Mashiro stopped working for me years ago," he said seriously, letting the words roll off his tongue slowly.

"Liar," Kanaye spat. "He still checks in with you. He's told me this. Stop using him to watch me."

The man sighed and seemed to sink back into his seat.

"He does this of his own free will, Kanaye," he said in exasperation. "He's like a son to me, and he knows how much I – how much I care about you. There is no pay involved – only acquaintance."

"And we all know how you treat your sons" Kanaye hissed, eyes flashing. His shoulders started to tremble. "I know how you treat them."

That stung the older man. He flinched, eyes scrunching up and jaw pulling itself to force his mouth into the triangular shape of grief. The next thing Kanaye knew, his father was beside him, strong arms coming out like some tortuous play of a shield. They wrapped around him, and he jolted, memories of a long time ago coming back too fast.

"Let me go," he started, entering a state of half-hysteria.

"I'm so sorry," his father began, deep voice cracking like an old smoker's. "I didn't mean for your mother to go on that plane in my place. She did it for me. There was no way for me to know that it was to become the target of such a plot. So, your beloved mother – my wife – and Ryuzai's mother as well… It's all my fault."

"I don't care about that!" Kanaye yelled, cursing his own stupidity at losing his nerve and the correct command of his words. "It's what – it's what you did to me afterward!"

"I've prayed to every God of every fucking nation for forgiveness!" his father boomed. "I've given to every charity and every poor child I've come across, but what good does it do if my son – my own little boy – is incapable of forgiving me?"

"If I'm your little boy, why did you hit me? Why did you touch me?" Kanaye whispered. "I didn't ask to be some god-forsaken, washed up drama. I didn't want to be the simpering fool that stood in the corner, a textbook example of a kid gone wrong – a teenage girl's sexual kink."

Shigure was at a loss for words. "I was angry and grieving and you're so much like her" – the words sounded inadequate to even his own ears. He tightened his arms around the boy, remembering the times when those eyes of his had looked on him in total adoration – the times when Kanaye had allowed him to fly him like an airplane all over the house.

A loud knock on the door interrupted their thoughts. There was the distinct sound of wheels rolling over hardwood floor as the door opened and one of the maids entered. She blinked beady, black eyes at them and smiled sweetly.

"Am I interrupting something?" Her curls bounced as she spoke in falsetto. She smoothed out her kimono and apron and dragged the cart holding the food trays a bit closer.

Kanaye shot his father a wet-eyed glare and the man promptly let go of him, withdrawing his arms as if the glare had burned him irreparably.

"No," said Shigure, clearing his throat. "No, no. Please, come in, Makino-san. We've been looking forward to this lunch all day."

The maid stared long and hard at the tears Kanaye was blotting with the backs of his fists. Then, she turned her attention to her employer, a tiny devilish smile working its way onto her face.

"As you wish…_Yoshido-sama_."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Kiyoshi had nearly walked into a lamppost after losing sight of Sumeragi Subaru. He didn't know why, but the urge to follow the boy was stronger than it had ever been before. He hadn't meant to come across him. He had merely been waiting for the light to change in order to cross the street, and then suddenly, the boy was _there_ – rushing past him in a disheveled frenzy. The notion of replacement and the notion of _cancellation_ had chased what little sanity he possessed all the way to the border of nonexistence, and he found himself wanting to wrap his hands around that smooth, white neck.

The desire was a throbbing insistency.

The necklace looped around his neck was throbbing, too. Beating like some kind of foreign heart, right where the cross lay against his moist skin. But that was ridiculous, because it sported the name "Seishirou," and certainly nothing named "Seishirou" could possibly have such a thing.

And to make matters worse, he kept tripping in his boots as he ran – kept tripping on his leggings, which had gotten too long again. Had he lost that much weight already? Hokuto was going to scold him again. Maybe she'd even cry this time. She'd cry and cry and Subaru's – no – _Kiyoshi's_ heart would break again. Or maybe it wouldn't. Did he have one or didn't he? What was a heart anyway – in the romantic notion of the word?

His stomach was lurching and _oh_, he was ill. The sweat was cold and clammy – perhaps the effect of sleeping on the saturated bench in the rain. But what had he been thinking, really? Kissing Seishirou like that…was he out of his mind? The answer, he knew, of course, was yes, but that certainly didn't excuse his behavior. What _had_ he been thinking? He'd been thinking of Seishirou's lips and of Seishirou's arms and how, in his life, he'd never ever kissed the man.

Most of all, he just _wanted_ Seishirou. More than any Wish he'd harbored the past few weeks, he wanted Seishirou now.

He rushed through the streets, head throbbing in earnest. Distantly, he wondered if he'd make it to his apartment without getting mowed over by a car. He was certainly too delirious to discern if the signs read "Walk" or "Do not walk." A sigh of elation escaped his lips when he reached the building that housed his apartment, and another dizzy smile of victory crossed his face when he managed to squeeze his way past too many people to get into the elevator. And after steps – too many thousands of steps – he was at his door, jangling a key as he hurried to unlock it.

Once inside, he slung off the boots, not even having to untie them since they'd gotten so loose. He spun around and glided to the bathroom. This was a room he visited far too often as of late. It seemed he only got sicker and sicker. The more food he put into his body, the more trips to the bathroom he made. Vomiting was painful, throwing his muscles into violent discomfort. His clothes were victimized by the experience, and he shrugged the loose garments off with disturbing ease. He had to crawl in the shower to bathe. And he was too tired and disoriented, really, to notice the vast array of differences he should have noticed. He simply sat in the cold water, bony hands clutching the burning cross around his neck like a lifeline.

It wasn't until he completed his relatively new routine of mirror-gazing that he recognized the tragedy properly. The face glaring back at him was more delicate than usual – eyes much too wide, despite having the correct amber and green colors. His first reaction was traumatizing – his fist flung out and smashed into the glass because that child – that boy _had_ to die. But he was so weak today, he only partially cracked the glass.

Ten minutes passed, and still the illusion didn't fade. Three hours ticked by, and the face in the mirror didn't elongate – the eyes didn't narrow. Kiyoshi finally looked away from the glass to stare down at coagulated blood on hands that he could have sworn had not been that small yesterday. He sat back on his rear then and simply stared in panic-stricken horror at his younger body.

Then, he threw back his head and screamed in a fit of the purest rage.

END.

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I know. Long time no update. Thanks for all the kind words – I'll now be using the review reply feature, since it's so handy. (Unless you want otherwise?) This was tentatively proofread by Berserker-M, but it is now in the process of being proofread by better people. (Sorry, Berserker!)

Love all of you dearly,

Tanuki


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